Ah, the familiar routine - you gear up to face the winter chill, bundling up in your coziest layers. But wait, what's that essential item you can't forget? Your trusty lip balm, of course! Because let's be real, stepping out without it is a crime against your lips. In this article, we will discuss "Why do lips chapped in winter?".
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Why Do Lips Chapped in Winter?
Ever pondered on why winter seems to have a vendetta against your lips, leaving them dry and craving moisture?
A London-based physician and associate clinical director for Bupa Health Clinics Dr. Luke Powles, spills the beans on the secret behind winter's assault on our lips. According to him, it all boils down to the unique anatomy of our lips.
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Picture this: the skin on your lips has a thinner protective barrier compared to the rest of your face, making it more prone to dehydration. It's like your face has a VIP skin pass, and your lips got the standard edition.
Dive a bit deeper into lip anatomy, and you'll hit the "vermillion border" - the sharp line that sets your lips apart from the rest of your face. Here, the tissue resembles the mucous membrane found inside your mouth, and it's here that the trouble begins. The cellular layers on your face? Thicker than a winter blanket. Your lips? Not so much. And they've got fewer oil glands to add insult to injury.
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Now, enter the winter scene. The air outside turns colder and less humid, and we crank up the heat indoors. This combo becomes the nemesis of our delicate lip skin, leading to the dreaded common cheilitis - cracked, peeling, and sometimes bleeding lips.
But here's a plot twist: our instinct to lick our lips for some relief might actually be making things worse. Saliva, with its digestive enzymes like amylase and lipase, can strip away the natural oily layer protecting our lips. It's like giving winter a helping hand in wreaking havoc on our lips.
And for those with a perpetual stuffy nose during the winter months, breathing through the mouth can expose the lips to excess saliva, according to a 2020 review in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology. Talk about a double whammy!
Now, dry lips aren't just about aesthetics; they can be a medical concern too. Chapped lips can make your lip skin more susceptible to infections, bringing unwanted guests like Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans to the party. It's a whole medical drama, as highlighted in a 2018 review in the journal Acta Clinica Croatica.
If your lip balm isn't cutting it and your lips are still in distress, it might be time to consult the experts.
Remember, this info is all about keeping you in the loop, not playing doctor. {alertInfo}
Stay hydrated, keep those lips moisturized, and face winter like the lip care guru you are!