Do your lips often dry, peel, or sting? Some people think that this is due to lack of water or seasonal dryness, but whether drinking water or applying lipstick, the lips are still repeatedly dry and cracked. These seemingly inconspicuous symptoms may be caused by lip inflammation. The culprit of lip dryness and peeling may not be dryness. Lipitis is a general term for inflammatory diseases that occur in the lips and can be caused by various reasons. Common symptoms include dryness, peeling, redness, swelling, pain, cracking, exudation, scab formation, and in severe cases, erosion or pigmentation. Different from the normal dry lips, the lips troubled by cheilitis may dry repeatedly even if lipstick is kept in hand, and the situation is more serious. Due to the dry climate, the natural oil layer on the lips is damaged, and coupled with insufficient intake of vitamin B2 and vitamin A in the human body, lip dryness and cracking often occur. At the same time, an increase in UV intensity can also easily lead to lip photodamage, increasing the risk of developing photolinear cheilitis. What bad habits can worsen lip inflammation? Research has shown that the amount of water lost through the lips is more than 10 times higher than other facial skin. Some people may lick their lips frequently to relieve dryness, but in reality, this may worsen lip inflammation. Human saliva contains digestive enzymes such as amylase and protease, which are mainly used to break down food. When licking lips frequently, these enzymes continue to come into contact with the lips, gradually breaking down lipids and proteins between epidermal cells and weakening the skin's natural protective barrier. Lips that have lost their barrier are more susceptible to external stimuli such as ultraviolet radiation and bacteria, which can exacerbate inflammation. In addition, allergens present in cosmetics, toothpaste, food, metals, and other substances, autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, pemphigus vulgaris, bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, and consumption of spicy, stimulating, or overheated food can all potentially cause lip inflammation. Among them, common causes such as fluoride toothpaste, metal contact (such as dentures, lip rings), and drug side effects (such as retinoids) are easily overlooked, and it is recommended to avoid them as much as possible. Is drinking more water effective in treating lip inflammation? When our lips become dry, we often think of "drinking more water", but this may not necessarily be effective in treating lip inflammation. Firstly, if the body lacks water or drinks less water, it may manifest as dry lips, but with appropriate hydration, they will quickly recover and are not necessarily related to the occurrence of lip inflammation. For most people, their daily water intake is usually not so low as to be severely lacking in water. At present, existing research has not confirmed that simply increasing water intake can be an effective intervention measure to alleviate cheilitis, provided that the human body's water intake meets the standard. Therefore, drinking water alone is not enough to cure lip inflammation. What should be done for cheilitis? There are multiple types of cheilitis, and each type corresponds to different treatment methods. If you experience similar symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention promptly. After a clear diagnosis by a doctor, targeted treatment can be administered. In terms of diet and lifestyle habits, it is recommended to consume more foods rich in vitamin B2 and minerals, and consume less stimulating foods; Avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight or cold and dry environments; Avoid bad habits such as frequent licking or biting of the lips, switch to drinking water through a straw, and prevent and alleviate symptoms of lip inflammation by reducing lip irritation; For patients with recurrent lip inflammation, it is important to avoid tearing off the lip skin to prevent irritation and injury to the lip mucosa; At the end of each meal, the skin of the lips should be cleaned, and the low irritation lipstick or vaseline should be applied in time for local moisturizing. At the same time, it is necessary to reduce friction, scratching, sun exposure, and the use of irritating lip gloss to avoid the impact of stimulating factors on the lip skin, which can help prevent the recurrence of lip inflammation. When choosing lipstick for cheilitis patients, they should pay attention to avoiding menthol (irritant), lanolin (allergic to some people), chemical sunscreen (such as benzophenone -3) and other substances. It is recommended to choose lipstick containing humectants such as sodium hyaluronate, ceramide and squalane. In addition, lipstick containing jojoba oil, vaseline and other sealants can also effectively lock moisture and relieve dry and cracked lips. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to some so-called "medicinal lipstick", which mainly contain anti-inflammatory repair ingredients such as allantoin and vitamin E, which can alleviate the redness of the lip skin and play a role in moisturizing repair. However, they are essentially skin care products and cannot be used as substitutes for drugs. Doctors advise that if lip inflammation occurs year-round and cannot be effectively relieved through strengthening moisturizing, sun protection, and daily care, or if lip symptoms affect daily life and result in large areas of blisters, exudate, erosion, scabs, etc., please seek medical treatment promptly. (New Society)