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One of the most common problems people often complain about is lips feeling dry, skin peeling or lips getting darker with age.
Technically, the lips are covered with 'mucous membrane' which is a thinner and more delicate type of skin. Unlike the rest of your skin, lips don't have oil glands to keep them lubricated. This lack of natural protection makes them extremely vulnerable to chapping and, hence, darkening-especially by the sun. Apart fromthe sun, the cold, dry air of winter can also take its toll. Air conditioned environments are drying as well. Licking and biting your lips only worsens the dryness. Other causes for dry, flaky lips include:
- Unsuitable cosmetics: The commonest cause of dry lips is using cosmetics that do not suit you.
- Tooth paste: The colour component of toothpastes is a common incriminator.
- Lipsticks: You may be allergic to a particular brand or, more commonly, to a particular shade.
- Chapsticks and lip balms: Ironically this is a very common cause for chapped lips, especially the flavoured and coloured ones.
- Soaps: This is a relatively uncommon cause. Because lips have delicate skin, they can start reacting before the rest of the face. Often, the lips and the eyelids are the first to start reacting to a soap by getting flaky or dry.
- Tobacco and smoking.
- B-complex vitamin deficiency: This can happen if you take antibiotics without vitamins, or if you go in for fad diets or have rapid weight loss.
- Bowel infections can sometimes cause dry lips.
- Skin diseases like eczema, sun allergies, etc.
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