What is atopic dermatitis on the lips?
The lips are frequently affected by atopic dermatitis (atopic cheilitis), which can appear in both children and adults. Symptoms usually include lip dryness, cracking, micro-cuts and itching.
How to treat atopic dermatitis on the lips
Treatment of atopic dermatitis on the lips can be difficult, as people with the condition often lick their lips in the search of immediate relief from the discomfort of the dermatitis. However in doing so, they are only worsening the situation and causing new dermatitis to form. To fully heal atopic dermatitis:
- Do not lick the lips
- Do not wet the lips when drinking or eating
- Do not wet the lips when brushing teeth
- Do not apply cosmetic lip balms or glosses
To achieve remission of dermatitis, besides avoiding the above.
- To relieve symptoms such as redness and itching, apply LipLap several times a day. This specific lip product contains no grease, preservatives or colouring agents and is able to protect the skin of the lips. The balm is softening, moisturizing and helps the lips to self-hydrate. Thanks to the presence of the hydrophilic glycerol polymer, the balm attracts skin water to the surface, bringing moisture back to the lips.
Oftentimes, people with atopic dermatitis on their lips seek relief by obsessively applying lip balms or glosses, which actually worsen the condition. These, often fatty, balms do little to help as atopic dermatitis on the lips means the skin will always appear dry and dull, due to the thickened stratum corneum blocking the transparency of the underlying blood vessels. Atopic dermatitis often affects the sides of the lips, too, which become infected principally due to the excess moisture that applying such heavy balms and glosses causes.
