# Chapped lips **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 15, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138 "2002-06-15T01:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/1 "2002-06-15T01:20:38Z")
For the past 4 or so years, I’ve had constantly chapped lips. Most of the time it isn’t that bad, and I only have to apply chap stick once or twice a day, or sometimes not at all. Sometimes though it gets really bad, often it seems at random. It’s not like I live up 10,000 feet where it’s always cold and dry, although I do live in Los Angeles, a desert area, but still, it shouldn’t be so dry as to have constantly chapped lips. Is there a reason that my chapped lips never seem to go away? When medicated chap stick, dry skin cream, and vasaline don’t help much, is there any other way to assuage the irritation? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/2 "2002-06-15T01:26:40Z")
I have found Carmex to work much better than Chapstick. That’s just IMHO which would have been a better forum for you question. Welcome to the Boards! Haj ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/3 "2002-06-15T01:48:55Z")
There’s a recent thread addressing “ChapStik addiction,” but the short answer is that ChapStik, Vaseline, and other oily balms dry out your lips. Use a water-based lubricant like KY jelly. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/4 "2002-06-15T02:28:03Z")
Chapstick dries out the lips? No wonder. It works at first but then it dries out and you have to apply more. I’d be interested in reading this chapstick addiction thread, if you could be so kind as to link it. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/5 "2002-06-15T02:36:44Z")
Never mind, I found it. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=119673&highlight=chapstick](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=119673&highlight=chapstick) ---
**Author:** ![aurelian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@aurelian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurelian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/6 "2002-06-15T16:51:12Z")
I would recommend vitamin E; either as a straight oil, or in a stick form. For particularly dry skin, creams/ balms are more effective moisturizers than straight oils…I get a vitamin E lipstick (clear) from a salon, but I seen comparable products in specialized bath/ body stores. And as always, drink lots of water. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/7 "2002-06-16T02:41:25Z")
I had a lot of trouble with chapped lips. One problem can be lipstick. If you use that long-lasting stuff, it can really dry out your lips. Another problem can be if you get toothpaste on your lips at night while brushing your teeth and some of the residual is left. After a bout with really chapped, peeling, cracking lips, I found that clinique makes this wonderful product that is sort of like thick vaseline that helps alot. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/8 "2002-06-16T04:17:00Z")
Drink lots of water? Isn’t it bad to get your lips wet then they’re chapped? I know it’s a bit of a contradiction to avoid wetting overly dry lips, but I think the water evaporating dries out the lips more. Everytime I drink anything, the lip stuff washes off and I have to reapply it. By the way, I’m male, so I don’t think it’s lip stick that’s causing it. Since I don’t wear it. Really. ---
**Author:** ![Citygirl852](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Citygirl852](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Citygirl852)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/9 "2002-06-16T05:37:34Z")
I’ve always had a big problem with chapped lips until I found Blistex’s “DCT”. It works better than chapstick, carmex, and anything else that I’ve ever tried. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/10 "2002-06-16T09:50:47Z")
Chicago winters can be brutal on one’s lips. I’ve found that lip balms containing cocoa butter work wonders. Tastes good too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@sward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sward)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/11 "2002-06-16T13:55:33Z")
A cowboy once told me that to help chapprd lips, he kissed his horse’s butt. It didn’t cure his lips, but he didn’t lick them after that. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/12 "2002-06-16T17:04:04Z")
Sorry about the lipstick thing…couldn’t tell your gender from the name or profile…but that info might help others. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chapped-lips/114138/13 "2002-06-17T02:54:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yumblie \* > \*\*Drink lots of water? Isn’t it bad to get your lips wet then they’re chapped? I know it’s a bit of a contradiction to avoid wetting overly dry lips, but I think the water evaporating dries out the lips more. Everytime I drink anything, the lip stuff washes off and I have to reapply it. > \*\* Drink water not to cure already chapped lips, but to prevent them from occuring in the first place. I’d say that most everybody I know is at least slightly dehydrated. It’s something like 80% of the U.S. population, you know.\* - Didn’t you know that 76% of all statistics are made up on the spot?