Dry, cracked, or peeling lips can be uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes even embarrassing. Unlike other parts of your skin, your lips don’t have oil glands, which makes them more sensitive to dryness. But what really causes lips to feel dry and rough?
Here are 4 common causes of dry lips and what you need to understand about them:
1. Dehydration (Not Drinking Enough Water)
One of the major reasons your lips get dry is simply because your body is not well hydrated. When you don’t drink enough water, it shows in your lips — they crack, peel, and lose softness.
What to do: Drink at least 6–8 glasses of clean water daily. Not just when you’re thirsty.
2. Weather Conditions (Too Much Sun or Cold)
Extreme weather — especially sunny, dry, or cold environments — can strip moisture from your lips. Unlike skin, your lips don’t have melanin to protect them from UV rays.
What to do: Use a lip balm with SPF in the sun, and moisturizing balm during harmattan or winter.
3. Constant Licking of Lips
It may feel like licking your lips gives moisture, but it’s doing the opposite. Saliva evaporates quickly, and every time it dries, it takes away natural moisture from your lips, leaving them drier than before.
What to do: Use a lip balm instead, and break the habit of licking your lips often.
4. Vitamin Deficiency (Especially Vitamin B)
Your lips can also tell you what’s going on inside. Deficiency in vitamins like B-complex, zinc, or iron can lead to peeling, soreness, or cracks at the corners of your mouth.
What to do: Eat a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole foods. You can also take vitamin supplements if recommended by a doctor.
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