When lip balm doesn’t cut it: How to treat chronically dry, flaky lips

Here’s everything you need to know about healing dry, chapped lips. Photo / Getty Images / Tetiana Mandziuk
If you have lips dryer than the Sahara, it can be hard knowing how to treat them, especially when chapstick just isn’t cutting it. A dermatologist and lip-care CEO tell the Herald everything you need to know, from prevention to products and everything in between.
There’s little worse than the discomfort associated with dry, cracked or bleeding lips.
Not only can the shreds of desiccated skin be painful, but chapped lips can significantly impact your self-confidence and appearance. The uncomfortable feeling of dryness on a frigid day is one thing, but for sufferers of chronically chapped lips, the symptoms are a different story: think scaling, peeling skin, painful cracks, bleeding, itching and ulcerations. It’s unpleasant and can interfere with more than you might imagine – from social interactions to your sex life.
If your lips are also feeling dry (particularly amid this unwelcome cold snap), the good news is chapping can be treated pretty easily – but that emotional-support lip balm? It might be harming more than healing, says Dr David Lim, a dermatologist and the founder of Skintel.
While there are several reasons for dry, flaky lips (dehydration and certain medications are common causes), products can also play a significant role, Dr Lim told the Herald.
As it turns out, not all lip balms are created equal. While products enriched with soothing, moisturising ingredients – think ceramides, shea butter, seed oils and good-old petroleum jelly – can help heal chapped lips, other not-so-good formulas will only exacerbate irritation and dryness. Dr Lim recommends avoiding potential irritants or allergens, such as eucalyptus, menthol and lanolin. Products containing fragrance or flavouring should also be given a miss, he adds, particularly potentially aggravating flavours such as citrus, mint and peppermint.
Laura Xiao, the founder and CEO of organic lip-care brand Henné Organics, warns your cosmetics could also be doing more harm than good – particularly mattifying formulas or lip care with drying, irritating ingredients.
“Matte lipsticks and other cosmetics can dry out the lips, including many lip balms,” Xiao told the Herald. “Lip balms are a must: they act as a protective layer and prevent moisture from escaping. But maybe your current go-to lip balm is actually hurting, not helping. This includes lipstick and many conventional lip balms that often contain ingredients that are bad for your lips’ long-term health, despite the immediate relief you feel when applying them.
“Consider opting for a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and natural lip balm instead.”
Read: What causes dry lips and does lip balm do anything?
The weather is also a likely culprit. Cold, dry and windy conditions will exacerbate dryness, causing the lips to lose their elasticity and easily become cracked, says Lim.
“The lips are more prone to drying out due to their lack of oil glands in comparison to skin on the rest of the body. Because the lips are very mobile, they easily become cracked. The dryness also contributes to scaling and peeling of the lips. In summer, ultraviolet can cause burning of the lips and dehydration can be a factor.”
Although several causes of dry lips – such as certain illnesses, medications and genetics – aren’t a quick fix, the good news is most other causes are entirely preventable. While lip-care products are crucial, simple lifestyle changes will also help combat chapping – drinking plenty of water may seem obvious but adequate hydration is key to preventing dry skin in the first instance. If you live in a place with a dry climate, Xiao says you might want to consider investing in a humidifier for the home, particularly if you breathe through your mouth at night.
While it’s very tempting to pick at and pull off peeling skin, try not to: interfering with the healing process will only cause further irritation and can lead to bleeding and wounds. Licking the lips is also a no-no; it may sound counterintuitive (as the saliva initially alleviates feelings of dryness) but the moisture evaporates very quickly, leaving the lips more dehydrated than they were before. Additionally, saliva contains enzymes that are too harsh for the delicate skin.
“Keeping well hydrated is important for general health but is also important to help keep lips in good condition,” Lim says. “I also recommend avoiding licking your lips as saliva can cause an irritant dermatitis. Habitual picking, biting and chewing of the lips can lead to a condition called exfoliative cheilitis.”
If you have chronically dry or chapped lips, the first step in your treatment plan should be investing in an exfoliating product that removes the superficial dead cells. This dead skin can prevent parched lips from healing properly as you are more likely to pick and peel, increasing the likelihood of sores and prolonging recovery.
Exfoliating lip products are typically physical exfoliants, which slough off dead skin using gritty, granular ingredients; an example is that scrub you use to remove stubborn fake tan from your ankles. A common addition to these lip exfoliants is sugar: its coarse texture helps buff away dry patches and soften the lips.
However, chemical exfoliants – products that contain active ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) – can be a more effective option, not only removing the dead skin on the surface but exfoliating evenly without disrupting the skin barrier. Physical exfoliants can be harsh and might cause further inflammation to an already irritated mouth.
“Exfoliating three to four times a week is a great starting point. If you have sensitive lips, or rarely notice any dead skin, cut it back to one to two days a week,” Xiao says.
Speaking to Allure, dermatologist Shereene Idress said that, while chemical exfoliants were suitable for most people, those with a history of cold sores should proceed with caution and opt for a weaker percentage of the exfoliating acid. While it’s preferred to use chemical treatments at night, these products can be used in the morning as long as you’re following up with SPF – more on that later.
Once you’ve removed the layer of dead skin, you can go in with a thick, emollient product to seal in moisture: Xiao recommends a formula that contains either shea butter, which is rich in vitamins and fatty acids, or beeswax, a natural occlusive that will lock in hydration without irritation. This protective layer can be topped up throughout the day but, most importantly, it should be applied at night as the final step in your skincare routine.
“I recommend regular use of lip balms to help prevent dry and chapped lips. Good lip balms typically include ingredients like paraffin, glycerine, oils and ceramides,” Lim adds.
If the dryness or chapping is persistent – such as lasting for more than a few weeks – he says you should consider seeing a dermatologist.
In a nutshell, yes: SPF is important for all skin, including your lips. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) says an SPF of at least 30 is crucial for protecting the delicate skin against the elements, as chapped lips are more susceptible to burning. It also recommends a lip product that contains either titanium oxide, a mineral filter that provides UVB and UVA protection, or zinc oxide, which reflects UVA and UVB rays without absorbing into the skin.
The AAD recommends applying the product at least every two hours while outdoors; in New Zealand’s climate, application should be even more regular.
“Sun protection is a critically important component of lip balm. We often have to remove skin cancers from the lip due to the harsh New Zealand sun,” Lim says.
“In Auckland, DNA damage can develop within minutes in summer and about one to two hours in winter. Studies have shown that very high SPF sunscreens provide better protection, so aim for products labelled as SPF 50+.”
Read: The Six Best Sunscreens For Face, Body & Lips
If your day-to-day lip balm just isn’t cutting it, there are several heavy-duty products that might do the trick. The Avène Cicalfate Lip Balm is fragrance-free, water-resistant and enriched with skin-repairing sucralfate, glycerin and plant-based waxes and oils. A more expensive alternative is Biobod’s Probiotic Salvation Balm: containing probiotics and medical-grade lanolin, this multi-use product is designed to combat the driest of skin by strengthening its barrier. For an exfoliator, the Henné Organics Lip Exfoliator is a gentle, sugar-based formula with beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter. For SPF, there are plenty of budget-friendly options: the hydrating Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Lip Balm and skin-repairing Dermal Therapy Lip Balm SPF 50+ are both good bets.
Lana Andelane is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist covering lifestyle and entertainment stories. She joined the Herald in 2024 and enjoys anything related to pop culture, fashion, beauty or music.