OF LIPS CHALLENGE, WINTER, STYLE

Hello H-Metro readers.

I CAN smell winter from a distance.

It is my pleasure to put up the lips challenge which we mostly face, but ignore.

We tend to say lips are a small part of the body yet they play an important role in our daily lives in enhancing the beauty which is our main goal.

Today, I will talk about the challenges we face with lips and how to deal with them.

• CHAPPED LIPS

Chapped, or cracked, lips is the term commonly used to describe dry lips.

Chapped lips can be caused by several factors, that include:

• weather

• excessive licking of the lips

• certain medications

Chapped lips are a common condition that occurs for most people.

But some people may develop a more severe form of chapped lips called cheilitis.

Cheilitis can be caused by an infection, characterised by cracked skin at the corners of the lips.

You can usually treat dry lips with simple treatment and preventive measures.

If your lips continue to be severely dry and cracked, you should consider making an appointment with a dermatologist.

Symptoms of chapped lips

You may experience any of the following symptoms on or around your lips:

• dryness

• flaking

• scales

• sores

• swelling

• cracks

• bleeding

• What causes chapped lips?

• Lips don’t contain oil glands like other parts of the skin.

This means lips are more susceptible to drying out and becoming chapped (cracked). Lack of moisture can make the problem worse, whether it’s weather-induced or related to a lack of self-care.

• Little humidity in the air during the winter months is known to cause chapped lips. Frequent sun exposure in the summer can also worsen your condition.

• Another common cause of chapped lips is habitual licking. Saliva from the tongue can further strip the lips of moisture, causing more dryness.

• Risk factors for chapped lips

Everyone can get chapped lips, particularly if they have dry skin.

Taking certain medications can also increase your risk of developing chapped lips. Medications and supplements that can cause chapped lips include:

• vitamin A

• retinoids (Retin-A, Differin)

• lithium (commonly used to treat bipolar disorder)

• chemotherapy drugs

People who are dehydrated or malnourished are also more likely to have chapped lips than other people. Call your doctor if either of these are associated with your chapped lips—dehydration and malnutrition are both serious conditions that require immediate medical attention.

• When to seek medical treatment

• Cheilitis

If the severe dryness and cracking doesn’t improve with self-care, you should see a dermatologist. Cheilitis is often to blame for severely chapped lips.

This is a condition marked by cracked skin at the mouth corners and several cracks on your lips.

If you have this condition, your lips may:

• be dark pink or red in colour

• have a lumpy texture

• develop ulcers

• have white plaques on the surface

Cheilitis is often attributed to infections and inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease.

Dental trauma and excessive saliva production may also turn a regular case of chapped lips into cheilitis.

Bacteria can enter through the cracks and cause infection.

Adults and children who have orthodontic braces, wear dentures, or use pacifiers are all susceptible to developing cheilitis.

A dermatologist can determine whether your dry lips are simply chapped or if you have cheilitis.

• Dehydration and malnutrition

Dry lips can also be caused by dehydration or malnutrition.

Dehydration causes symptoms including:

• light-headedness

• constipation

• decreased urine production

• dry mouth

• headache

In severe cases, a person suffering from dehydration may experience low blood pressure, fever, rapid breathing, or a rapid heartbeat.

Malnutrition is characterised by many of the same symptoms as dehydration. Additional symptoms can include:

• muscle weakness

• decaying teeth

• bloated stomach

• bone fragility

Malnutrition can be caused by vitamin deficiencies, so those on limited diets (for example, vegetarians) need to make sure that they are getting enough of the vitamins they need.

People with alcohol addiction are also more susceptible to malnutrition due to vitamin deficiencies because excessive alcohol use can interfere with the body’s vitamin absorption.

Older adults are also at higher risk for malnutrition because decreased appetite is common.

If you suspect you are dehydrated or malnourished, see your doctor right away.

• How to treat and prevent chapped lips

Whether it’s the weather or bad lip balm, there are things you can do to prevent and get rid of your dry, chapped lips.

Chapped lips can usually be treated at home. The first step is to make sure that your lips have enough moisture.

This can be accomplished by:

• applying lip balm throughout the day. Apply a lip balm that contains a minimum SPF 15 before heading outdoors. The balm helps to moisturise the lips and the sunscreen minimises further drying effects.

• drinking more water

• using a humidifier at home

• avoiding cold weather conditions or wrapping your mouth with a scarf

• avoid sun exposure as this can also cause chapped lips, especially as you age.

• Don’t use flavored lip balms. When you put tasty things on your lips, you’re tempted to lick.

While flavored lip balms may be fun, they can lead to a dry, cracked mouth — no fun at all.

• Use sunscreen. If you’re planning on a day in the sun, use a lip balm with sunscreen. It will help keep your lips from getting burned, and the dryness and peeling that can occur afterward.

• Steer clear of allergens.

If you already have dry, cracked lips, those prevention methods may keep them from worsening.

But there’s even more you can do to help them heal more quickly.

• Gently exfoliate

When your lips are chapped, they can be rough and start to peel.

Taking off skin that isn’t completely dead, however, can lead to bleeding and pain — so be careful.

Apply a gentle exfoliator like a sugar scrub with your finger. Be sure to follow with a good moisturiser.

• Moisturise

Use a moisturiser to keep your lips from drying out further.

Products containing beeswax or petroleum work to hold moisture in.

Slather on more at night before you go to sleep.

Ointments like coconut oil, cocoa butter, petroleum jelly, and even thick body lotions are good options.

The moisturising effects of coconut oil have increased general interest in this ingredient as a natural skin care solution.

While the oil is sometimes used as an allover dry skin remedy, it may also be used for the lips.

Whether your lips are dry, chapped, or just need some extra TLC, there are several coconut oil remedies that you can try out at home.

The primary benefit of coconut oil is its moisturising effects. This makes it ideal for chapped lips. Your lips are particularly sensitive to moisture loss because the skin is thin, and they’re exposed to the elements more so than other parts of your skin.

In alternative medicine, coconut oil is a mainstay in burn treatment.

This is due to its moisture, as well as its analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.

These same effects can translate to benefits for chapped, cracked lips.

Coconut oil is also considered an emollient. Emollients are non-cosmetic moisturisers that help keep the skin moist, and they’re primarily used to protect the skin.

They trap moisture in your skin, so these tend to work best immediately after bathing.

However, you can apply them throughout the day as needed, especially when considering your lips, which lose moisture more rapidly than the rest of the body.

Other benefits include the potential disinfecting and antimicrobial effects of coconut oil.

Such benefits may keep your lips germfree, and subsequently help protect any cracked skin from becoming infected too.

Furthermore, coconut oil is an anti-inflammatory. This means it may reduce swelling.

Some people use coconut oil as wrinkle treatment.

When you use the oil for your lips, you may help your surrounding skin look smoother and more radiant.

• How to use during the day

Using coconut oil for chapped lips is a relatively straightforward process.

Simply apply a few drops to your lips and dab gently with your fingers until the oil sets.

You can repeat this process throughout the day as often as you’d like.

If you’d like more of a chapstick-like texture, combine coconut oil with equal parts of a thickening agent such as beeswax or shea butter before applying.

This will also help give you a less shiny finish, if desired.

Store any extra product in a small container for easy on-the-go application.

• How to use as a night-time treatment While coconut oil may be used in place of your daytime lip balm, it can also work well as an overnight treatment mask. The key here is to combine the oil with a thicker protectant, such as honey. You can use equal parts and mix honey and coconut oil until a thick cream forms. Apply to your lips and then rinse off in the morning.

• What to add for maximum moisture

For added moisture, consider combining coconut oil with other moisturising ingredients, such as:

• avocado oil

• beeswax

• olive oil

• raw honey

• shea butter

Apply as a mask, or leave on overnight and during the day for maximum results.

CONCLUSION

In as much as lips seem to be amongst the tiny parts of the human body they need to well taken care of. I mean just imagine yourself without lips then what would brighten our faces and enhance our beauty. So keeping them wet and choosing the right colours would do the magic.

Till we meet again next week, please take great care of your lips.

Happy reading.

NB: Joey Nyikadzino is a beautician, script-writer, hairstylist and entrepreneur based in the capital.

She also runs a film and theatre school grooming upcoming actresses from less fortunate backgrounds and remote areas.

For feedback contact her on:

Facebook page: joey’s hairstyles and beauty products or Joey Tanae Nyikadzino

Email: Joeynyikadzino@gmail.com... tanaetjoewy@gmail.com Instagram:joewytanae