The face of a person is the determinant of his/her general beauty. Cracked lips greatly affect this beauty. The main cause of cracking of the lips is drying resulting from dehydration, licking and other external infections. Cracking may be thought as a normal thing that occurs to your lips when you fail to moisturize. However, sometimes it may be as a result of some health disorders that require serious medical attention. Below are some health issues that can cause the lips to get chapped;
1. Lack of required vitamins
Vitamins are very essential for the general body health. It absence could trigger some health issues that can cause a lot of negative reactions from the body. For instance, Vitamin B2 is responsible for metabolism, regulating amino acids levels in the blood and cell functions. Lack of this substance can cause drying and cracking of the lips. Lack of Vitamin B3 could result in pellagra. It is characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea, and mental issues. Serious conditions like ulcerative colitis that inhibit the absorption of niacin are some other causes of pellagra. Pellagra alters the normal healthy condition of the lips, tongue and even the gums. It also makes the skin hard and vulnerable to cracking. Since the lips are also part of the skin, they also so crack and get chapped. Consider Vitamin B3 supplements to remedy the condition.
2. Lack of enough water in the body
This condition is often termed as dehydration. Water is among the basic substances required by the body to carry out its functions normally. It is responsible for digestion which produces the nutrients that are required by the body for the normal functioning. It also forms a larger percentage of the blood, a substance responsible for distribution of nutrients to all parts of the body. Anything dries when they lack water and so does the lips. Dehydration is therefore, a major well-known cause of chapped lips. It can even result in death if not put under control. The only sure way to overcome it is through drink adequate water. The recommended 8 glasses can keep you on the safe side.
3. Allergy
Our bodies react differently to different substances. For instance, some of the substances that can cause the allergic reactions are the basic things like lip gloss. When you apply some lip glosses, they cause itchy lips instead of moisturizing it. Some foods could also be causing drying of your lips. Once you discover that something is causing your lips to dry, avoid using it. You should also see a doctor to establish the exact cause of the negative allergic reaction.
4. Reactions to medicines
In as much as medicines are meant to make your body healthy, the can also cause some negative reactions. Medications for hypothyroidism and high blood pressure are known to cause a reaction that result to chapped lips. If you suspect that the treatments are the cause of lips drying and cracking, inform your doctor.
5. Excess vitamin A
As mentioned earlier, vitamins are essential for the general body health. However, too much of something is poisonous. Excess vitamin A could result to drying, cracking, bleeding and peeling of the lips. Surprisingly, it is among the vitamins required to get rid of the dark spots on the skin. Vitamin A supplements are the major causes of excess consumption of Vitamin A. Be very careful when taking the supplements. A larger percentage of Vitamin A should come from the foods.
6. Inflammatory disease
The common inflammatory disease that affects the lips is Angular Chelitis. It is characterized by inflammation at the corners of the lips, chapped lips and dribbling saliva. The people with sensitive skins are more vulnerable to this disease. Untreated chapped lips are a major trigger to this infection. Therefore, when you experience chapped lips, try treating it with moisturizers at its early stages before it advances to something else. Licking chapped lips in the attempt of moisturizing it is as useless as over washing the skin. It is among the causes of chapped lips. Saliva evaporates so fast leaving your lips dry and more chapped.
Conclusion
Licking and lack of moisturizing are the major causes of chapped lips. Winter, is the weather when most people experience these kinds of problems. Chapped lips are considered a normal condition that can be remedied by moisturizing and hydrating. This is true, but if your lips do not respond to the simple treatments mentioned, you have a reason to worry. They may be as a result of the serious health conditioned mentioned above. Therefore, if you discover that you chapped lips aren’t as a result of lack of moisturizing see a doctor.
References
https://www.thebeautyinsiders.com/5-homemade-lip-balms.html
http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/oral-skin-care/_/what-causes-chapped-lips
