Sunburnt Lips

The ultraviolet rays of the sun can extremely damage not just the skin, but the lips as well. When going outdoor, many of us wear sunscreen and sunblock.

However, many of us also forget the importance of protecting our lips. Little did we know, we end up experiencing burnt lips. Children are prone to sunbunt lips primarily because their skin are not fully developed yet.

More so, people with fair skin are prone to sunburn because their body has low melanin. ^{(1, 2)}

What are the symptoms of sunburned lips?

• Reddening and swelling of the lips
• Dry and warm lips from dehydration and exposure to too much heat
• The lips sore and tender to touch
• The lips crack and in severe case bleed
• Bleeding could result to scab formation
• The lips will eventually peel ^{(2, 3)}

Photo 1: A closer look at the lips with severe sunburnt
Picture Source: heydoctor.org

Image 2: Lips with sunburnt blister
Picture Source : www.healcure.org

How to get rid of sunburnt lips?

• Having a sunburned lips swollen can be extremely painful. You will be cautious going out because you feel like you are no longer attractive, not to mention the pain and discomfort.
• Sunburnt lips treatment is vast. Sunburned lips healing time depends on the severity of the condition and the efficacy of treatment.
• If you are out in the sun and you feel a burning sensation on your lips, you should immediately get out of the sun. That way, you will be able to prevent further damage of the lips.

What are home remedies for sunburnt lips?

Sunburnt lips remedy is simple. You can get rid of sunburnt lips right in the comfort of your home. One of the symptoms of sunburnt lips is drying and chapping of the lips. It indicates that your body is dehydrated. To hasten the healing of sunburnt lips, you should drink plenty of water.

Drinking a lot of water, especially on the first three days of sunburn helps hydrate the body and gets rid of excessive heat in the body. ^{(3, 4, 5, 6)}

What to put on sunburnt lips?

You should apply a cool compress on the lips. It helps cool the lips and significantly reduce the duration of sunburn. Get a clean washcloth and soak in cool water. Place the cloth over the sunburnt lips for a few minutes and repeat when necessary.

You can also place a peach ice cream on sunburnt lips to cool down the lips and hasten healing. Stay away from the sun as it can further irritate the burnt lips. If you can’t avoid going out in the sun, make sure you apply a lip balm containing SPF.

If you are looking for ways on how to cure sunburnt lips of severe type, your best option is aloe vera gel. It has moisturizing property that helps sooth severely burned lips. Applying petroleum jelly, especially the one enriched with vitamin E can deeply moisturize the lips.

Treatment for sunburnt lips include taking over the counter medication such as anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. These drugs alleviate pain and inflammation.

What to do for sunburnt lips?

If there are scabs, do not peel the dried parts for it could lead to bleeding. It also lengthens the recovery period. If the sunburnt lips get severe despite desperate measures, then you should immediately see your dermatologist. ^{(4, 5, 7, 8)}

Sunburned lips Vs Cold Sore

What is the difference between sunburned lips and cold sore? A sunburned lips is caused by severe exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun. Cold sore is a painful blister on the lips caused by herpes simplex virus 1. It will not only occur on the lips, but as well inside the mouth and face. A sunburned lips are sometimes mistaken for a cold sore because it could have blisters too. ⁽⁷⁾

A sunburn blister on the lips is caused by severe skin burn. A small sunburnt lip blister may heal on its own, but you can hasten the healing process using the right sunburnt lips blister treatment.

The recommended treatments for sunburnt lips blister include the following:

• Keep it clean – Make sure you keep the blister clean at all times. When washing, you should use antibacterial soap. Do not use soap containing strong chemicals as it could further irritate the sunburned blister on the lips.
• Take medications – A sunburnt blister on the lips is extremely itchy and painful. To alleviate the pain and discomfort, you should take over the counter medications like aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Apply antibiotic creams – Antibiotic creams, especially the ones prescribed by dermatologist help speed up the healing process. They prevent further infections.
• Apply Aloe Vera gel – this is one of the most effective natural treatments for sunburnt lips and other skin conditions. Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory and moisturizing property. It reduces inflammation, alleviates pain, and soothes the skin. If you don’t have aloe vera at home, you can easily find aloe vera gel products at the leading stores.
• Keep the lips moisturized – A sunburnt lips can be extremely dry. It could lead to chapped lips. To prevent further drying and irritation of the lips, you should apply a moisturizing cream. Choose a product specially formulated to moisturize the lips. Not all moisturizing products can help soothe the lips. Sometimes, they can trap heat which could lead to further irritation of the lips. To be safe, you should always ask the advice of your doctor. ^{(8, 9, 10)}

Sunburnt lips are not only disgusting to look at. They can also cause extreme pain and discomfort. So, when going out in the sun, you should not only protect your skin, but also your lips. The lips are part of the skin. In fact, they are sensitive to extreme temperature.

It is strongly advised to put on sunscreen on the skin and lips. As the famous saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” Always remember that if the sunburnt lips get out of control, you have to immediately consult your doctor. The doctor will thoroughly assess the extent of the infection and will come up with the best treatment approach. ^{(2, 5)}

References:

1. http://www.healcure.org
2. www.healtreatcure.org
3. www.treatcurefast.com
4. www.bustle.com
5. www.healthyandnaturalworld.com
6. www.livestrong.com
7. diyremedies.org
8. www.womenshealthmag.com
9. health.howstuffworks.com
10. www.medhealthdaily.com