- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he said, need to be aware, and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has been director of the Dermatopathology Laboratory since 1998 and chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology since 2000. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin and lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information is becoming a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he said. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
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Question
Chapped lips: What's the best remedy?
I seem to have chapped lips all winter. What causes chapped lips? Is there anything I can do to prevent or treat chapped lips?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Most people get chapped lips from time to time. Lips may become chapped for various reasons, including:
- Exposure to wind, sun, or cold, dry air
- Breathing with an open mouth
- Licking your lips
- Dehydration
- Contact with irritants or allergens in cosmetics or skin-care products
There's much you can do to treat — and prevent — chapped lips. Consider these tips:
- Protect your lips. Use an oil-based lubricating cream or lip balm containing petrolatum or beeswax. Before going out in cold, dry weather, apply lip cream or balm that contains sunscreen — and then cover your lips with a scarf. Reapply often while outdoors.
- Avoid licking your lips. Saliva evaporates quickly, leaving lips drier than before you licked them. If you tend to lick your lips, avoid flavored lip balm — which may tempt you to lick your lips even more.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids, and moisten the air in your home with a humidifier.
If chapping is severe and doesn't respond to treatment at home, consult your doctor. Rarely, persistent chapped lips may indicate an underlying problem.
- Lip and mouth care. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/members/media/_doc/Materials_Lip%20and%20Mouth%20Care.pdf. Accessed Aug. 13, 2008.
