Winter has come, and we must accept that it’s not always kind to your skin. The cold, harsh, and dry weather is the close allies of the winter season. The lack of ample hydration during cold weather prevents our skin from staying healthy and soft. The decrease in water intake owing to a drop in temperature during winters and lack of sweat glands renders a reduction in body moisture levels. To get the baby soft lips is everyone's dream, all along with the winters, and we can accomplish it by some preventive measures.
Vitamin and nutritional deficiencies and chapped lips
In addition to cold weather, dehydration, and sun exposure, the lack of appropriate nutrition is also associated with cracked lips and rough skin.
Iron (Fe) plays a vital role in the synthesis of DNA, generation of red blood cells, and skin health. Its deficiency may lead to inflammation and dryness on both sides of the mouth. Zinc (Zn) is another mineral nutrient whose deficiency impairs healthy skin and causes chapped lips and dryness.
Vitamin B deficiency (Vitamin B9, B2, B6, and B12) is one of the most critical factors for chapped lips. The human body does not synthesize vitamin B12; therefore, dietary food is the only source of this peculiar vitamin.
Tips to ponder to care for your lips
- Exfoliate your lips to remove any dry, chapped skin cells during cold weather. But do not over-exfoliate.
- We don’t feel much thirsty during winter. Therefore it is essential to keep yourself hydrated by drinking as much as water you can. This is the most natural and cheap remedy to avoid chapped lips.
- Healthy diet: Healthy diet is fundamental for beautiful and charming soft skin. Having a diet rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E helps avoid dry lips during harsh winters. Vitamin A has a key role in repairing skin tissue and dry lips. The important foods rich in dietary vitamin A are cantaloupes, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, carrot, sweet potatoes, mango, etc. Vitamin B plays a role in retaining moisture on your lips during winter months, and foods rich in vitamin B are eggs, cereals, fish, chicken, and asparagus. Vitamin C enhances the production of collagen in our lips and mends them from the sun's adverse effects. The important food sources for vitamin C are canola, broccoli, tomatoes, berries, citrus fruits, chili, and capsicum.
- Avoid smoking: Smoking is injurious not only for our health but also harmful for our lips. It’s advisable to quit smoking during cold weather to take care of your lips.
- Before going outside, make sure that you are covering your lips from harsh winter elements. We can cover our lips using a scarf or mask to protect lips from the harsh winter air.
- Ignore licking the lips: The licking, biting, or peeling your lips during the winters is normal. Licking makes the lips drier as our saliva can exhaust the moisture from our lips.
- Use an appropriate lip balm to recover your lips. Before buying any lip balm, please consider that it contains natural ingredients, sun protection factor, and moisturizer.
- Reduce your outside visits and stay at home. It will prevent dry cold air.
- Apply sunscreen on the lips frequently.
- We can use Aloe Vera leaves gel to soften our lips. Then a drop of ghee can also work well on dry chapped and cracked lips. Massage your lips with some warm coconut oil and leave it overnight.
You must be logged in to post a comment.