Itchy lips is a condition that occurs commonly, and many people tend to ignore the issue. However, it would be a good idea to try and figure out why you have this itchiness. Itchy lips can be a sign that you have a serious infection and you should seek medical attention when it is too severe. You should also try out some home remedies to control the itchiness. When you hear the term itchy lips, you may think that this is just having a tingling mild itchiness on your lips. This is not the case; itchy lips is a condition that causes the lips to become inflames, angry red in color and very itchy. This can be very discomforting and can be caused by several factors and conditions.
Symptoms
- Swelling in the lips
- Redness
- Scales and dryness of the lips
- There is a collection of hives on each side of the lips
Causes
Itchy lips are caused by several factors and here are some of them:
- Allergy – this is the most common cause of itchy lips. When you are allergic to peanuts, your lips may swell and itch when you come into contact with them. You may also be allergic to some of the content of your lip gloss. This is one of the reasons why you must do your due diligence when you are choosing your lipstick or lip gloss. The condition where your skin will be affected by ingredients is also called contact dermatitis.
- Vitamin Deficiency – low levels of Vitamin B will lead to dry and itchy lips
- Weather – Moving from one climate to another can cause your lips to be inflamed
- Infections – if you have herpes or a cold sore, your lips will become itchy.
- Insect bites – You may get itchy lips when bitten by some insects such as mosquitoes, ants and bees.
Itchy lips – Treatment
Usually the condition will go away on its own, but you can also use some home remedies to reduce the swelling and itchiness.
- Keep hydrated – you should drink a lot of water, to keep your full body hydrated. The first sign of dehydration is dry lips and itchiness. When you drink a lot of water, your lips will be moisturized and your body will be hydrated from within. Drink more water during winter; as opposed to what people think that hydration is more important in summer.
- Eat healthy foods – When you have itchy lips, you should put a little more attention towards the kind of food that you eat. You should consider foods rich in vitamin B, as they will alleviate the problem. You should always consider eating unprocessed food; these are the ones which have a lot of B vitamins. It has been found that meats such as fish, liver and turkey have a lot of Vitamin B and are therefore very healthy.
- The use of Aloe Vera – this is one substance that has been found to have calming and moisturizing effects on the skin. When you apply it several times daily, you will have relief from the itchiness.
- Live without your vices – If you do smoke and drink, then you should stop it when you are suffering from itchy lips. Using these substances will simply make the problem worse.
- Baby Oil can prevent itchiness, dryness and chappiness in the area, especially during the winters.
- Mix one teaspoon of honey and 2 drops of almond oil, apply the concottion overnight on the lips. This can be an effective home remedy for itchy lips.
- Avoid licking your lips – One may think that licking your lips when you feel they are dry and itchy is a great way of relieving them. This is not the case; when you lick your lips, you make the situation worse. The enzymes in your saliva should aid in the digestion of food; when they come in contact with your lips, hey make the drier than before.
- Do not bite your lips to remove the dry skin – There is a tendency for people to try to bite off the dry skin on their lips. This not only causes damage to the skin, I also increases the dryness and the itchiness. As mentioned above, the sensitive outer skin of your lips should not come into contact with saliva, since the digestive enzymes only serve to make the lips drier. In one program, hosted by Oprah, Doctor Oz, said that you should include family members in your treatment, so they can check on you when you are sleeping. Some people will bite their lips when they are asleep without even knowing that they are doing so.
There are several factors that can cause itchy lips, and you simply have to find out what is causing yours. Although itchy lips may just seem like an inconvenience and an annoyance at most, it can be a sign of some serious underlying
