The sensitive skin of the lips is one of the most sensitive areas of the face. Everyone knows the unpleasant feeling of dry and chapped lips. To avoid this, they need special care through lip balm.
What is lip balm?
Lip balm is designed to provide the skin with oil and moisture, making it soft and supple. Lip balm is designed to provide the skin with fat and moisture and make it soft and supple. It can be used to nourish the lips or to treat dry, chapped lip skin. In addition, various products also offer a sun protection factor as a barrier against UV radiation, anti-aging substances or medicinal agents against diseases of the skin. Lip balm is often a more intensive acting product than a simple lip balm and offers a direct effect in acute problems.
Application, effect and use against chapped, dry lips.
The skin of the lips has hardly any sebaceous and sweat glands and therefore cannot form a film of lipids and water. Their outer horny layer is very thin and the small amount of the skin pigment melanin offers little protection against the sun’s radiation. In addition, the sensitive skin of the lips is exposed to numerous environmental influences every day. Especially in strong sunlight and in cold weather or heating air, the lips dry out quickly and become chapped and cracked. In extreme cases, often also with malnutrition, the skin around the mouth and the corners of the mouth also becomes sore or tears. In addition to factors such as nutrient supply and climate, skin aging also causes the collagen content and fatty tissue in the lips to steadily decrease. This makes the lips appear narrower. Help against this is offered by a lip balm which, in addition to the moisturizing effect, is also enriched with anti-aging active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, antioxidants or peptides. Also often included are skin-smoothing substances that fill small wrinkles or stimulate collagen formation, making the lips look fuller. Cracked skin is susceptible to pathogens. Bacterial or fungal infections may then develop on the lips and in the corners of the mouth. Frequently spread are herpes simplex viruses, which are responsible for burning cold sores. If these are imminent, early treatment with a virus-inhibiting preparation can effectively curb the development of cold sores. Proven effective is also lip balm with lemon balm, which is available in pharmacies.
Herbal, natural and pharmaceutical lip balms.
Lip balm is made of oils, fats and waxes, enriched with additional nourishing and soothing substances, such as dexpanthenol and bisabolol or skin-protecting vitamins E and C. If the balm has a very creamy consistency, water is often also found in the formula. Hyaluron or urea often also have an increased moisture-binding effect in these products. Kerosene, a distillate of petroleum, is popular with manufacturers as a greasing ingredient for lip care products. This widely used base for skin care products is compatible and inexpensive. Many manufacturers rely on plant-based ingredients for their lip balm. Fats and oils, such as persimmon and shea butter, olive or almond oil are obtained from renewable raw materials and are said to be particularly close to natural skin oils. Lip balm is available in jars, from which the product is removed and applied with the fingers, in tubes and in its most familiar form, the lip balm stick. Depending on the type of application, lip balm is available in drugstores, perfumeries or pharmacies in different price ranges. There is a wide range of products there specifically for different needs and for protection from the sun or extreme cold. Especially for men, there are balms that do not shine on the lips and are therefore not noticeable. In contrast, shimmering or tinted products combine the benefits of a lip balm with a color accent.
Risks and side effects
With the permanent use of lip balms, a habituation effect may occur, also dryness may remain despite regular use. A real physical or psychological dependence can develop, however, not. The impression of having to constantly reapply the cream can arise if the proportion of caring substances is too low. It is also possible that the composition of the lipids is not optimal or that a product that provides more moisture should be used.If malnutrition, an infection with herpes viruses, bacteria or a fungal disease leads to sore, chapped skin, cracks or even weeping wounds, a commercial lip balm cannot permanently combat the symptoms. After consulting a doctor, a special product should then be used to combat the causes and help the skin heal.
