Just like the face, the lips require hydration. Among the recommended treatments is lip balm. It serves, among other things, to protect, hydrate and repair the lips. There are also other ways to use it.
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Why apply lip balm?
Summary
Published January 29, 2024,
by
Stéphanie, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences
—
3 min read
What is a lip balm?
This refers to a waxy substance intended for local use. Due to the active ingredients present in its formula, the lip balm promotes hydration and helps to alleviate dry lips, cold sores or angular cheilitis. Its primary function is to create a protective film on the skin. Thus, this fatty substance leaves the lips soft while shielding them from external aggressions.
Lip balm comes in the form of a stick or cream. It is applied:
In daily life, to prevent the risks of dryness;
Occasionally, when signs of dryness appear (lips that peel, burn or feel tight) or to combat chapping.
Why apply a lip balm?
The skin of the lips, being thin, is sensitive to various aggressions and damages quickly. This is compounded by the absence of sebaceous glands, which reduces its insulating power. As the skin on the lips does not produce sebum, it is necessary to strengthen its hydrolipidic film. To preserve its natural barrier and its hydration level, the use of a lip balm is essential. It should be noted that lips can dry out due to:
The acidity of saliva (moistening the lips with the tongue promotes the occurrence of chapping);
The chill of winter;
From the rain;
Of dry air
Regarding air conditioning;
From the excessive use of tobacco or alcohol...
While a standard lip balm is sufficient to nourish and hydrate the lips during winter, the application of a specific treatment becomes necessary in summer. Indeed, the lips produce little melanin, which makes them vulnerable to sunburn. To protect them from solar rays, it is appropriate to apply lip balm with a UV protection factor. Don't forget to apply it during your stays in the mountains or at the beach.
Finally, lip balm is essential for treating damaged lips that may be prone to bleeding. In this case, those enriched with healing active ingredients such as aloe vera or honey should be favoured.
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