Have you forgotten to put cream on your lips? Then you need quick help. Because sunburn on the lips can be very painful. We have the best tips.
You put sunscreen all over your body and completely forgot that you can get a sunburn on your lips too?
This happens quite quickly. After all, our lips are very sensitive to external factors.
They have no sweat glands and only a few sebaceous glands. This makes them susceptible to drying out, as they are not supplied with sufficient moisture.
However, the sun is dangerous for the lips for another reason: The lips cannot form protective melanin. Thus, they lack the natural sun protection and react particularly UV-sensitive.
And such a sunburn on the lips can be very painful.
But what can you do when it's already too late? We have a few helpful tips for you.
Table of contents
What does sunburn on the lips feel like?
You know that feeling when you eat something spicy and then you feel like your lips are tingling or even swollen? You can imagine a sunburn on your lips similar to that.
The lips become red, swollen and sore. They are very sensitive to touch. White blisters may form and the corners of the mouth may crack.
The lower lip is usually the most affected, as it receives more light.
However, the symptoms of sunburn vary depending on how severe it is. A mild sunburn causes red and chapped lips.
More severe burns are manifested, among other things, by blisters on the lip. These blisters are lip herpes. It is often triggered by excessive sun exposure.
If you have been hit hard, then redness, swelling and even hardening can occur. Here, the deeper layers of the skin are already affected.
Tearing of the corners of the mouth is another sign of a burn. However, they do not occur alone, but together with other symptoms.
Usually, the symptoms go away after a few days. Otherwise, you should see your doctor.
What is the risk of sunburn on the lips?
If you don't give your lips the protection they need and/or even let them burn multiple times, sunburn can cause long-lasting and even potentially dangerous damage.
The risk of developing skin cancer is one of the main reasons for concern. Skin cancer on the lips is much more aggressive than on other parts of the body.
There is also a risk that the lips are chronically swollen or deformed. They can get wrinkles, lose their color and volume.
Therefore, it is incredibly important that you also protect your lips from the sun. And that all year round.
After all, dry lips are bad enough without sunburn.
What can you do about sunburn on your lips?
Have you ever forgotten to apply sunscreen to your lips while sunbathing or skiing? This can be quite unpleasant. We have the best tips for you on how to treat sunburn on your lips.
Cool your lips
Get out of the sun and cool!
It's best to grab a cold pack and wrap it in a light cotton towel.
You should not put ice cubes directly on the lip. Excessive temperature differences can further irritate the skin. Inflammations can become worse as a result.
In addition to the cold pack, reach for a tried and true Home remedy for sunburn: the curd.
Mix it with a little honey and apply the home remedy on the burnt lips several times a day. As soon as the curd stops cooling, gently wipe it away with a cloth.
But also Aloe vera or cucumber slices from the refrigerator soothe the heat and calm the inflammation.
Drink enough
As with any sunburn, it helps to drink plenty of water or cold tea. This way you can rebalance the fluid balance from the inside.
A straw helps if drinking is uncomfortable.
Care your lips
Sunburn not only dries out the lips, but also causes them to crack as they heal. The skin begins to peel and renew itself.
Now your lips need the necessary care to moisturize them. It's best to use a nourishing lip balm with urea or soothing panthenol.
However, under no circumstances apply lip care with mineral oil or creams rich in fat. Grease seals the pores and increases heat buildup.
Give your lips a break
Take a break from sunbathing and avoid lip scrubs and lipsticks.
Instead of covering up the sunburn on your lips with color, it's best to distract from it by highlighting your eyes.
Keep your hands off
Do not pluck dry lips! This prolongs the healing process and makes everything worse in the end.
Also try not to lick your lips at first. The constant moistening and evaporation damages the sensitive and healing skin.
Prevent sunburn
Of course, it's better to avoid sunburn on your lips in the first place.
So next time, take a lip balm with SPF with you to the beach or apply it while skiing.
Many (also natural cosmetic) care pencils contain an integrated sun protection factor (SPF 50), and some even have waterproof filters.
If you don't have a special lip sunscreen on hand, you can resort to sunscreen for the face instead. However, a lip balm with SPF should be your first choice.
But regardless of whether it's a care stick or sunscreen, you need to apply the sunscreen thickly and over a large area for the best effect.
Also, don't forget to reapply the cream. The protective film can be worn off by talking, drinking, eating or swimming.
When is the sunburn on the lips healed?
After three days, the symptoms have usually subsided. However, it can take up to two weeks for your sensitive lip skin to fully recover from sunburn.
After a few days, the lips become roughened and peel. However, this is part of the natural healing process.
At this stage, you can apply an intensive moisturizer to help heal irritated skin - and prevent chapped lips.
Our conclusion
Summer, sun and sunburn. While we lubricate our body in an exemplary manner, we tend to forget our lips and this takes revenge sooner than we think. Sunburn on the lips is anything but pleasant. Therefore, always use a sunscreen here as well.
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