"The more you dry, the more you lick, the more you lick, the more it dries, what to do?" Don't keep randomly using lip balm if your lips are chapped and peeling!

Recently, temperatures have dropped across the country, and with the dry weather, many people's lips are sending out “danger signals”: chapping, peeling, redness, swelling, and even painful cracks, while some fall into a vicious cycle of “the drier they get, the more they lick, and the more they lick, the drier they become."

In fact, proper lip care requires addressing the root cause. Depending on the severity of chapped lips, specific treatments are needed alongside daily maintenance to keep lips comfortable through the cold season.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

ApproachStart with the spleen and stomach to improve moisture in the lips. Traditional Chinese medicine refers to chapped lips as “lip wind” or “lip dryness.” TCM theory believes that “the spleen opens into the mouth, and its beauty is reflected in the lips.” Weak spleen and stomach can lead to insufficient fluid generation, affecting lip hydration. People with irregular diets, picky eating habits, or poor digestion are more prone to this.

By adjusting the diet, spleen and stomach function can be improved, relieving lip dryness: eat foods that strengthen the spleen and stomach: yam helps tonify the spleen and stomach and generates fluids to benefit the lungs; coix seeds promote water metabolism, strengthen the spleen and stop diarrhoea; euryale seeds benefit the kidneys, consolidate essence, and strengthen the spleen to stop diarrhoea.

Drink herbal teas: steep herbs like Atractylodes, Poria, or Codonopsis in water to strengthen spleen and stomach function and promote fluid generation.

Handling chapped lips by severity: mild - moisturise, moderate - anti-inflammatory, severe - seek medical advice.

Mild lip inflammation: dryness and slight peeling require moisturising and repair. Soak sterile gauze in warm water around 40°C (not too hot), apply to the lips for 3–5 minutes, then apply a thick layer of lip balm containing Vaseline or vitamin E to supplement the “artificial lipid barrier” and help rebuild the lip barrier.

Moderate lip inflammation: swelling and severe peeling cannot be relieved by simple moisturising. Short-term application of weak steroid cream under doctor guidance, once a day for 3–5 days, can control inflammation; at the same time, use lip balm containing ceramides, squalane, and other repair ingredients to help restore the lip barrier.

Severe lip inflammation: redness, cracking, bleeding, and scabbing may involve bacterial or fungal infection, or be signs of granulomatous lip inflammation or systemic inflammation, requiring timely medical attention. A doctor will create a tailored treatment plan, including topical ointments, oral medication, or local injections. During acute phases, dampen gauze with mineral water or saline and apply several times a day to reduce exudation. Once exudation decreases, apply gentamicin eye ointment to ease burning discomfort.

Choosing Lip Balm: Focus on Effective Ingredients, Avoid Irritants

Lips are poor at retaining moisture by themselves, so a suitable lip balm can create a lipid layer on the lips and slow water loss. But lip balm cannot be chosen randomly; the wrong one may irritate the lips and damage the barrier.Look for effective ingredients:Occlusives: oils (like Vaseline), waxes (like beeswax) to lock in moisture. Humectants: ceramides, panthenol, butylene glycol, plant oils, vitamin E, caprylic/capric triglyceride, etc., to enhance moisturising effects.Avoid these irritants:Menthol or phenol may irritate lips and worsen dryness; lanolin can cause allergies; acids and papain may damage lip mucosa; essential oils can be irritating for some; long-term use of paraffin or liquid paraffin may reduce lips’ natural moisturising ability; artificial dyes and colourants may contain heavy metals.

Be careful with these irritating ingredients: Mint and phenol can irritate lips and worsen dryness; lanolin may cause allergies; acids and papain can damage lip mucosa; essential oils may irritate some people; long-term use of paraffin and mineral oil may reduce the lips' natural moisture; artificial dyes and pigments may contain heavy metals, which can affect health if ingested over time.

Be rational about added functions: Sunscreen: a practical choice, helps prevent lip photoaging and pigmentation. Colour-changing: hydration depends on the base ingredients, check reviews before buying. Plumping/reducing lip lines: mainly works through added moisturisers or mild irritants, cannot fundamentally change lip shape or remove lines. Medicinal/anti-inflammatory: suitable for diagnosed lip inflammation under doctor guidance, not recommended for long-term personal use.

Correct lip care habits: follow these steps for more hydrated lips. Choosing the right lip balm should be combined with proper use and care for best results. Apply balm vertically: lip lines are vertical, so vertical application lets the balm adhere better and cover evenly. Gentle exfoliation: apply a warm towel to lips for 3-5 minutes, then gently remove softened dead skin with a soft brush or cotton swab, then apply lip balm. Strengthen night care: after brushing, clean residual toothpaste to reduce chemical irritation; apply a thick layer of balm before bed, can combine with vitamin E capsule liquid to boost repair. Gentle lip massage: after applying balm, massage lips gently with fingertips to promote blood circulation and absorption.

Final reminders: Don’t overuse scrubs or exfoliate excessively to avoid damaging the lip barrier; Avoid using balms with unclear or irritating chemicals; Don’t forcibly peel dead skin to prevent bleeding, infection, or lip inflammation. Proper lip care isn’t complicated, just maintain basic hydration, choose the right balm, and avoid bad habits. This winter, may everyone have soft, moisturised lips.