Natural Remedies for Healing Cracked Lips

Dear Sandy: A common remedy for peeling and cracking lips, is usually a common vitamin B2 (riboflavin deficiency). What I might do is take 100 mg of B2 plus some vitamin B complex called B50 (where most vitamin Bs are of 50 mg each, with possible exception of B12 or folic acid). The reaspon why other Bs was needed, besides the B2 is other B deficiency, not B2 may also lead to cracking lips and also to prevent other vitamin B deficiency since taking any one of the B's could lead to other B deficiency too.

A cracking on the corners of the mouth and watery eye or eye irritation are possible symptoms of a B2 deficiency from stress and other problems.

One superficial remedy that I have found to help with cracking lips, but not necessarily solve the true underlying cause, but a great band-aid, is the use of petroleum jelly (vaseline) applied to the mouth. Most of the newer products simply cannot beat this old and familiar product.

To Sandy (littledove): Try some Vit. A&D ointment on those peeling lips. You can also open a Vit. E capsule and apply it to your lips. Both of these are soothing and healing. You also note when the peeling is worse- following mouth wash use, etc. One mouth wash in particular made my entire mouth burn and peel. I have to steer clear of all Avon lipsticks (everyone I tried caused peeling lips).

(Please post question on site) I love your site and have been going to write for months now. I apologize for sending you all of this feedback and these questions at once, but today is the day that I have time. Does anyone out there have a cure for peeling lips? I have always been prone to chapped lips and living in Nevada doesn't help, but about a year and a half ago I tried one of those 8 hour, last all day lipsticks and had a reaction to it. My lips burned and hurt! The pain left eventually, but since then my bottom lip is in a constant state of peeling. It is getting better, but I am so tired of it. Please help me out. As a side note, I am now using all organic/natural cosmetics and beauty products with guidance from the Environmental Working Group site.

Reponse to Sandy regarding her peeling lips: I have had similar reactions after using lipstick from MAC a few years ago. However, I discovered after spending weeks trying to heal them that most lipsticks and even chapsticks, balms, etc. (even the natural ones) contain some type of alcohol! So the peeling cycle never ends. I believe this is a marketing scheme by the companies that manufacture the products. If your lips are dry you will continually apply the product -- very sneaky!! I suggest you only use 100% natural products like shea butter (my favorite, worked in 2 days after applying 2x a day). Coconut oil might also work. I have also used Vaseline but it didn't work as fast as the shea butter (which I bought very cheaply at iherb... make sure it's 100% shea). Hope this helps. Please give us an update!