December 13, 2024, 2:48 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Both cold and dry air in winter put a strain on the lips. Lip balm can help, but how often is too often? Dermatologist Uta Schlossberger explains what is important when it comes to care and whether care products can be addictive.
Do you never leave the house without lip balm? Especially in the cold months of the year, it is a helpful companion for many people, but many reach for the lip balm more often than necessary. Cologne dermatologist Uta Schlossberger explains to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur why this is and whether lip balm can be addictive.
Overview
Why Do Lips Dry Out in Winter?
Lips quickly become chapped, especially in the cold season. Dermatologist Uta Schlossberger explains why: “Our sebaceous glands produce lipids, a kind of lubricant on the skin. If there is less of it, the skin dries out.” Especially at temperatures below 8 degrees, the sebaceous glands in the lip area reduce their work. In addition, the lips have fewer sebaceous glands than other parts of the body anyway, which makes them particularly susceptible to dryness. Another problem is the constant change in temperature: “We go from outside, where it’s cold and damp, to inside, where we have dry heated air. The sebaceous glands can’t keep up – the skin on our lips dries out.”
Proper Care: What Helps and What Harms?
“If your skin is dry, the general rule is to apply cream or oil. But please use the right ingredients,” emphasizes Schlossberger. Products with silicone oils, parabens, paraffin, or colorants, which are often found in regular lipsticks, can worsen the issue: “We can feel it ourselves: when we apply a very long-lasting lipstick, it feels dry.”
Instead, the expert recommends ingredients such as Vaseline, shea butter, or jojoba oil. Honey can also be helpful as it has an antiseptic effect – especially for inflamed or chapped corners of the mouth.
Pay attention to the composition of lip balm: “The fewer ingredients it contains, the better – preferably natural cosmetics,” advises Schlossberger. The packaging provides information on suitable products.
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Can Lip Balm Be Addictive?
The answer is complex: “Yes, an addiction can definitely occur, but it is psychological in nature,” explains Schlossberger. It is a habituation effect that causes those affected to reach for the lip balm again and again, even when it is not necessary. “Once a day should normally be enough, twice a day at most. Applying it every hour is unnecessary, as it can over-treat the skin.”
However, if a product with drying ingredients such as silicone oils or paraffin is used, the lips can actually become drier. “This removes even more moisture from the lips. Then you really have the effect of having to constantly reapply because your lips look dry.”
With material from dpa