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Diseases & conditions
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Molluscum contagiosum: How to safely treat it Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. See what they recommend.
Biosimilars: 14 FAQs Find answers to questions patients ask about this newer treatment option, including, “What’s involved in switching from a biologic to a biosimilar?”
Everyday care
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Practice Safe Sun Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin.
Relieve uncontrollably itchy skin Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief.
Darker Skin Tones
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Fade dark spots Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them.
Untreatable razor bumps or acne? If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help.
Cosmetic treatments
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Laser hair removal You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one?
Scar treatment If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment.
Botox It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last.
Public health programs
Featured
Free materials to help raise skin cancer awareness Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer.
Dermatologist-approved lesson plans, activities you can use Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.
Find a dermatologist
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Find a Dermatologist You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist that’s right for you.
What is a dermatologist? A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists care for people of all ages.
How to prevent and treat dry, chapped lips
Cold, dry weather, sun damage, and frequently licking your lips are just some of the reasons your lips might feel dry and chapped. To prevent and treat dry, chapped lips at home, follow these tips from board-certified dermatologists.
While it may seem that dry, cracked lips are something you must live with until spring comes, you can have soft, supple lips year-round. Here’s what dermatologists recommend.
Use non-irritating lip balm, lipstick, and other products that you apply to your lips. Many people mistake discomfort, such as burning, stinging, or tingling, as a sign that the active ingredients in a product are working. That’s not what’s happening. You’re actually irritating your lips, so you want to stop using any product that irritates your lips.
Ingredients to avoid while your lips are chapped: To help chapped lips heal, stop applying lip products that contain any of the following:- Ceramides
- Dimethicone
- Hemp seed oil
- Mineral oil
- Petrolatum
- Shea butter
- Sun-protective ingredients, such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide
- White petroleum jelly
Apply a non-irritating lip balm (or lip moisturizer) several times a day and before bed. If your lips are very dry and cracked, try a thick ointment, such as white petroleum jelly. Ointment seals in water longer than waxes or oils.
Slather on a non-irritating lip balm with SPF 30 or higher before going outdoors. Even in the winter, it’s important to protect your lips from the sun. The sun can burn dry, chapped lips more easily, which could trigger cold sores.
To protect dry, chapped lips from the sun, use lip balm that contains offers SPF 30 or higher and one (or both) of these sun-protective ingredients:Drink plenty of water. Chapped lips are dry lips, so you want to stay hydrated.
Stop licking, biting, and picking at your lips. When lips feel dry, it may feel natural to wet them by licking them, but this can worsen the problem. As saliva evaporates, your lips become drier.
Picking or biting your lips also irritates them, which can prevent healing.Lip licking can be a hard habit to break. When you catch yourself licking your lips, try applying a non-irritating lip balm instead.
Avoid holding items made of metal with your lips. Paperclips, jewelry, and other everyday products made of metal can irritate your already sensitive lips.
Plug in a humidifier at home. A humidifier in your bedroom can be especially helpful, especially if you breathe through your mouth at night.
If your lips burn, sting, or feel uncomfortable when you apply a product to your lips, it means you’re irritating your lips, so you want to stop using that product.
By following these dermatologists’ tips for chapped lips, you should have noticeable improvement in 2 to 3 weeks. To prevent your lips from chapping again, continue applying lip balm whenever it’s dry indoors or outside.
When to see a dermatologist?
Most of the time, the above self-care can heal dry, chapped lips in 2 to 3 weeks. If it doesn’t, see a board-certified dermatologist.
Your chapped lips could be caused by something aside from dry weather. An allergic reaction, yeast infection, or something more serious can make your lips feel dry and uncomfortable. Actinic cheilitis is a precancerous condition that turns one or both lips dry and scaly. A board-certified dermatologist can diagnose the cause.
Have a skin, hair, or nail problem?
No one understands your skin better than a board-certified dermatologist. Partner with the expert for the best care.
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