Sometimes, dry skin at the corners of your lips can be itchy, painful, and even make it difficult for you to eat and drink. The causes of these problems are actually very diverse, such as weather that is too cold, vitamin deficiency, bacterial or yeast infections, and other diseases. To treat it, there are several things you can do, such as applying topical medications and changing your diet. If the skin condition is so severe that it is difficult to treat yourself at home, please consult a doctor for recommendations for more effective treatment.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Applying Topical Medicine
Step 1. Apply petroleum gel to soothe and restore dry areas of skin at the corners of your lips
If possible, prepare a fresh, clean, unused petroleum gel to prevent bacterial contamination. Then, take a small amount of gel with your fingertips and immediately apply it to the dry area around the corners of your lips. Petroleum gel can work as a barrier between your saliva and your skin. As a result, the area will be protected from excess moisture and afterward, excessive dryness.
- There are no standard rules regarding the dosage and frequency of application of petroleum gel to dry areas. However, generally you just need to take a small amount of the gel with your fingertips and apply it frequently to dry skin.
- Although very rare, the use of petroleum gel may trigger an allergic reaction. However, in general, petroleum gel is very safe to use to treat dryness in the corners of the lips, regardless of the underlying cause.
Step 2. Apply coconut oil to dry skin to hydrate the area
In particular, take a small amount of liquid or solid coconut oil with your fingers and immediately apply it to the dry and cracked areas of the skin. Like petroleum gel, coconut oil is an inexpensive and easy-to-find natural ingredient to treat dryness in the corners of your lips.
- In general, coconut oil is very safe to use as often as possible, to treat dry areas of skin at the corners of the lips.
- If your skin is prone to breakouts, it's best to apply coconut oil only on the cracked areas. Be careful, coconut oil can clog the pores of the skin and make it breakout.
Step 3. Purchase a lip balm that contains vitamin E and/or shea butter
When buying a moisturizer to heal and soothe chapped skin at the corners of your lips, focus on looking for products that contain vitamin E, shea butter, or if possible, both. Both vitamin E and shea butter are very popular ingredients in lip balm, mainly because they have excellent moisturizing properties and can also act as healing agents when lips are dry and chapped.
- Like petroleum gel and coconut oil, shea butter can also help form a protective layer between your skin and saliva.
- Vitamin E can soothe dry and cracked skin, while preventing it from happening again in the future. In addition, vitamin E is also useful for protecting the skin from sun exposure which is at risk of further exacerbating problems at the corners of your lips.
- Wear a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher to protect your skin from sun damage.
Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Eat more iron-rich foods
One of the most common causes of dryness in the corners of the lips is iron deficiency. Therefore, try to increase your iron intake to speed up skin recovery and prevent it from happening again in the future.
- Although everyone's needs are not the same, in general, the recommended daily intake of iron is 18 mg.
- Some examples of foods rich in iron are shellfish, spinach, legumes, red meat, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, turkey, broccoli, and dark chocolate.
Step 2. Increase your intake of B vitamins
If you have dryness in the corners of your lips, taking more B vitamins can help restore your skin's condition and fight off various types of infections that may occur. Remember, dryness in the corners of the mouth is usually triggered by infections and poor skin conditions, while B vitamins play a very important role in fighting infections in the body and maintaining overall skin health.
- There are 8 types of vitamins in the B vitamins group, namely B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, biotin, folic acid, and B-12. Although the recommended daily intake of B vitamins depends on the type of vitamin in question and your personal needs, you should try to eat foods rich in various types of B vitamins every day.
- Some examples of foods that are rich in various types of B vitamins are salmon (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-12), eggs (B-2, B-5, biotin, folic acid, and B-12), and nutritional yeast (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, folic acid, and B-12).
Step 3. Increase your daily zinc intake
In fact, zinc deficiency can also make the skin area around the lips dry. Therefore, try to eat more foods that contain zinc in your daily diet, such as cereals that have been added with vitamins and minerals, meat, shellfish, and chicken. In particular, men should consume about 11 mg of zinc per day, while women should consume about 8 mg of zinc per day to maintain a healthy body.
If you feel your daily zinc needs are not being met, please take zinc supplements
Step 4. Eat yogurt if the problem of dryness in the corners of the lips is caused by an infection
One of the most common causes of dry skin on the corners of the lips is infection. Even though only a doctor can identify the presence or absence of infection, even diagnose the type of infection accurately, there is no harm in trying to reduce the symptoms that arise by consuming 4 tsp. yogurt every day. In particular, yogurt is great for treating yeast infections and bacterial infections!
Look for yogurt that contains active cultures, such as the probiotic lactobacillus acidophilus
Method 3 of 3: Doing Medical Treatment
Step 1. See your doctor if your symptoms are very severe, or if home remedies don't work for your problem
If dryness in the corners of your lips doesn't improve after 1 week, or if you experience severe symptoms such as a burning sensation on your lips, intense pain in your lips, and the appearance of a reddish or purplish hue at the corners of your lips, see a doctor immediately! While dry, cracked skin at the corners of the lips can generally be treated at home, some very severe conditions can only be treated with the intervention of a doctor.
Your doctor can help diagnose the basic symptoms you are experiencing, as well as recommend effective treatment methods to treat dryness in the corners of your lips
Step 2. Try using an antifungal cream if your problem is caused by a yeast infection
If your doctor states that the dryness in the corners of your lips is caused by a yeast infection, you will most likely receive a prescription antifungal cream, or be asked to purchase an over-the-counter antifungal cream that is sold in major pharmacies. The frequency and dosage of antifungal creams will depend on the severity of the problem, as well as the type of cream used. Therefore, always follow the instructions listed on the packaging of the drug or given by the doctor to use it.
In most cases, your doctor will ask you to apply an antifungal cream that contains ketoconazole, one of the active ingredients that is very effective in treating oral yeast infections
Step 3. Use a topical steroid cream if your problem is caused by a bacterial infection
If the dryness in the corners of your lips is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor may recommend a topical steroid cream. If the infection is very severe, the doctor may immediately prescribe a higher dose of topical steroid cream. However, if the condition is not too severe, your doctor will generally only ask you to buy an over-the-counter hydrocortisone steroid cream at the pharmacy.
Always follow the instructions for using a topical steroid cream given by your doctor
Step 4. Ask your doctor for an antibiotic prescription if your problem is caused by a bacterial infection
If the dryness of the corners of your lips is caused by a bacterial infection and topical medication doesn't show its effectiveness after a week, your doctor will likely prescribe a more potent oral antibiotic. The type of antibiotic prescribed, along with the frequency of use of the drug, will depend on your condition. Therefore, make sure you follow the instructions for use given by the doctor, yes!
The use of antibiotics can cause some negative side effects, such as rash, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, or even yeast infection. If you experience one or more of them, immediately consult a doctor
Step 5. Reposition your dentures or braces
If you are currently wearing dental care devices such as dentures, braces, or other oral prosthetics that increase saliva production, try asking your doctor for help to fix or tighten the position. Be careful, dental care tools that are not installed properly can make excess saliva build up in the corners of the lips. As a result, the skin in the area will be cracked and dry after the saliva is removed. That is why, you may need to see a dentist to make sure the position of the dental care equipment you are wearing is correct, in order to relieve the symptoms you are experiencing.
Excessive saliva production often occurs if the position of dental care tools, such as dentures, begins to loosen. To avoid this problem, always check the condition of the dental care equipment you wear to the doctor, at least once a year
Step 6. Consult the doctor about the possibility of other diseases that have the potential to make the corners of the lips dry
Basically, diabetics and people with weak immune systems are more prone to dryness in the area of skin at the corners of the lips. If you experience these problems frequently and/or if standard treatment methods are not effective in treating your problem, try to see a doctor to identify the presence/or absence of other triggers.
Warning
- Do not use oral products that contain cinnamon, eucalyptus, or menthol to prevent dryness in the corners of the lips from getting worse.
- Maintaining oral health and ensuring that the body is always well hydrated are effective measures to prevent the skin area around the lips from drying out.
- Do not lick the lips and/or the surrounding skin area. No matter how tempting it may be to wet the area that feels dry and sore, don't do it because doing so will only make your skin problem worse.
- Quit smoking or avoid these activities, if you are not a smoker, to improve your overall oral health.
