Dry lips

[hockeymum1477]

When it gets windy and cold my lips dry, crack and peel. How and what am I doing wrong? I always use vaseline to protect them ?

[Dr Anjali Mahto]

Dear Hockeymum1477,

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time with lip soreness - I suspect there is nothing you are doing wrong to cause this! It is very common for people to suffer with dry, chapped lips at this time of year for a number of reasons. Firstly, the wind and cold air will whip moisture away from your lips. Secondly, we tend to turn the central heating on which can then dehydrate them further.

I am not allowed to give you specific brand or product recommendations but I would say the key to finding a good lip product is that it contains agents that can prevent against water loss e.g. shea butter, beeswax, octyldodecanol, castor oil and glycerin.

The other factor is frequency of re-application. If you find that your lips become dry, it is important to use the product again to provide relief. I would again, however, emphasise that I don't think its anything you are doing to cause the problem. I suspect it is firstly your own internal or genetic tendency towards dry lips, and secondly environmental change driving the issue.

I hope that helps and best wishes,

Anjali