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1994-01-17
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$Unique_ID{BRK01913}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Chapped Lips: Causes and Remedies}
$Subject{chap Chapped lip Lips cause Causes remedy Remedies chapstick
chapsticks sore sores medication medications balm balms lubricant lubricants
petroleum jelly protect Protecting protection moisture moisturize moisturizing
eczema dermatitis inflammation inflammations skin dry crack cracked
prescription prescriptions drug drugs cortisone cancer cancers cancerous sun
lesion lesions lipstick lipsticks cracked-lips cracked-lip}
$Volume{}
$Log{}
Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Chapped Lips: Causes and Remedies
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QUESTION: My teenaged daughter constantly applies a chapstick to her lips, as
much as three to four times a day. Despite all this she has a sore on her
lips that hasn't gone away. It looks like her lip has a crack running through
it. Is there some other medication you could recommend that would help solve
her problem? She feels that it mars her good looks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: The use of a medicated lip balm, or other lubricants such as
petroleum jelly, can work just fine for chapped lips that have been brought on
by the cold dry air of winter. The dry skin can crack and peel, usually in a
different area each time. Protecting the lips, and restoring moisture, by
using a suitable product several times a day is a good solution for the
problem. However, when the crack does not heal, and remains in one spot for
an extended stretch, it's time to consider some of the other possible causes.
It might be an inflammation of the skin, a dermatitis or eczema. Some
individuals have an unconscious habit of licking their dry lips, which leads
to this inflammation, and can not be remedied by lip balms. Once this
condition is diagnosed, a prescription medication with a cortisone base is
used to reduce the inflammation and help the crack heal.
Although your daughter is too young, a chronic cracked lip that fails to
heal may be the sign of a skin cancer in an older person with sun damaged
skin. These cracks tend to become worse during the winter season and are
often mistaken by the patient as a seasonal nuisance. Medications can't
eradicate these lesions, and a surgical approach is often necessary.
Your daughter may take to concealing the crack with lipstick, if she
feels that it is spoiling her good looks, and you might be misled into
thinking that the condition has vanished on its own. That could be a mistake.
The best advice I can offer, in the light of a lip lesion that has already
persisted for some time, is to recommend a visit to her doctor. This
condition warrants a close look, a clear diagnosis, and the appropriate
therapy to remedy the condition.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.