The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using white petroleum jelly throughout the day and before bed to moisturize and sooth dry, cracked lips. Petroleum jelly seals in water longer than oils and waxes. It's also inexpensive and easy to find online and in drugstores.
Start with exfoliation
When your lips are dry and chapped, the skin can begin to lift and flake. Gently exfoliating your lips can remove dead skin cells that can otherwise prevent your lip balm from reaching and moisturizing the new skin underneath the flaky areas.
Some people swear by petroleum jelly as their go-to lip balm. But the derivative from oil refining does not actively nourish the skin, but rather seals the lips so moisture does not escape. And as moisture can't get out, air and moisture can't get in – meaning it can dry your lips, the Huffington Post reported.
When you apply Vaseline to your lips, the petroleum jelly acts as a protective barrier and prevents moisture from escaping. It's not going to add moisture. If you lick your lips before applying Vaseline and nothing else, you might make chapped lips worse because lips don't retain water very well.
Cold, wind, and lousy winter weather are all contributing factors. And during the summer months, frequent sun exposure is often to blame. This time of year, dry winter weather can damage sensitive, exposed mucous membranes. Cold air and little humidity can cause your lips to crack and peel.
Chapped lips are the result of dry, cracked skin on your lips due to cold or dry weather, sun exposure, frequently licking your lips or dehydration. You can treat chapped lips at home with the use of lip balm or ointment to ease any discomfort.
To save on skin care, dermatologists recommend using petroleum jelly to: Relieve dry skin, including your lips and eyelids. Dry skin can flake, itch, crack and even bleed. Since ointments are more effective and less irritating than lotions, consider applying petroleum jelly to dry skin, including your lips and eyelids.
Reach for your lip balm instead. Don't peel or bite flaky skin. The skin on your lips is thin and delicate. Picking at it can cause it to bleed and hurt, slow the healing process, and cause more irritation.
Exfoliate Your Lips
Instead of peeling off the dried skin off your lips, try exfoliating instead. This is a much better way of getting rid of those dead skin cells. Not only does it give you a good clean feeling, it also helps your lips feel brand new, soft, and moisturized.
Exfoliating your lips before applying petroleum jelly will remove the dead skin cells and make it easier for your lips to heal. Use your finger or a cotton swab to apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly over your lips. Leave the petroleum jelly on your lips overnight to wake up with flake-free lips.
Frequent picking can irritate existing sores and even cause new ones to form. This can cause additional scabbing and lead to scarring.
But repeatedly applying lip balms and products may not help your case. Lip balms provide only temporary comfort, and some types can make scaly lips even drier. That's because, in part, when the thin film of moisture from the lip balm evaporates, it dehydrates your lips even more.
Also called dermatillomania or excoriation disorder, skin picking disorder is where you cannot stop picking at your skin. There are things you can try to help yourself, but some people may need professional treatment.
Excoriation disorder (also referred to as chronic skin-picking or dermatillomania) is a mental illness related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is characterized by repeated picking at one's own skin which results in skin lesions and causes significant disruption in one's life.
Apply a layer of petroleum Jelly to your lips before going to sleep every day. The jelly will dissolve any un-welcome pigmentation and over a few weeks' time you will notice soft, smooth and naturally pink lips. Wipe off jelly in the morning and go about your day.
Chapped lips should heal in two or three weeks, but you should consult with your dermatologist if the problem persists. Chapped lips that do not heal can be a sign of an allergic reaction, yeast infection or something more serious, like actinic cheilitis.
Drinking plenty of water can help keep your skin and lips hydrated. While dehydration isn't the only cause of dry lips, it can be a factor. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the day to remember to hydrate. This will do wonders for your entire body.
If you're not allergic, Vaseline isn't likely to cause harm or make your lips drier — it just may not be the best option for hydrating lips and preventing the delicate skin from becoming chapped. Other things to try for dry lips include: Try lip balms that contain: argan oil.
Remember, though, that your lips don't tan. So if you're asking about the actual lips themselves, this won't work. But, if you're asking about the skin of your upper lip, yes, it is very possible that putting Vaseline petroleum jelly on it will make it get darker (after exposure to sun.)
Vaseline is an occlusive moisturizer that can be used effectively on dry skin and eyelashes. It can't make eyelashes grow faster or longer, but it can moisturize them, making them look fuller and lusher.
They can still be effective but risk irritating more sensitive lip skin." Start off using a lip peel with a slow-and-low method of one to two times per week, and make sure to moisturize your lips after applying a peel.