'Dry and cracked' lips are more common in winter - 5 tips to avoid chapped lips

Discussing the problem was founder of Update Aesthetics, Nina Prisk, who said: "Lots of people experience dry and chapped lips, especially in the winter months.

"The skin on the lips is different from the skin on the rest of the body because it is thinner and made up of five or fewer layers. In contrast to the skin on the face which can be made up of over 15 cell layers.

Nina added: "The colder temperatures outside and central heating inside causes the skin to become dehydrated, and the lips can quickly become dry and cracked.

"Dry lips can not only look unsightly but they can also lead to chapping and cracking of the delicate skin on the lips, leaving them more prone to infections penetrating the skin barrier."

How to avoid chapped lips

Keep your fluid up

The expert said: "Dry lips can often be a sign of dehydration, and so I would urge anyone experiencing dry and chapped lips to look at their fluid intake. According to the NHS, adults should drink six to eight cups of fluid daily."

Eat a healthy balanced diet

Nina suggested eating specific foods that can help keep skin and lip hydration up. The foods she suggested for a healthy balanced diet were: "Oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocados [and if your] diet may be lacking in some essential nutrients, then supplements may be beneficial."

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Avoid salty foods

The expert said: "Salty foods such as crips and nuts can result in excessive licking of the lips which strips them of their natural oils and causes them to become drier than normal and more prone to cracking."

Wear a scarf

In these colder months, the expert stressed the importance of wearing a scarf to combat the chills outside.

Nina said: "Covering the mouth with a scarf when you’re outside in cold weather can help to prevent lips from being exposed to extreme temperatures and avoid them becoming impacted by wind too."

She added: "This will help them to maintain their natural moisture levels and prevent them from becoming dry and chapped."

Wear a lip balm

The fifth tip the expert recommended was wearing lip balm. She said: "Lip balms can be a great way of protecting lips from the extreme conditions of winter and helping them to retain moisture.

"Ideally choose balms that are fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. Balms that contain hyaluronic acid can be particularly good at helping to prevent lips from becoming overly dry and chapped."