When putting on sunscreen, don’t forget your lips. The sun burns them easily

Many of us are diligent about applying SPF to our faces, but we might be skipping a very important part — our lips! The lips are especially vulnerable to sun damage and dryness, so it is important to remember to apply SPF to this delicate area as well.

Why SPF is important for lips

The skin on our lips is different from other areas of our face and body, making them even more susceptible to sun damage. Lips do not have:

• A stratum corneum, which means they do not have a skin barrier. This makes it harder for the lips to hold onto water, though easier for skincare products to absorb.

• Sebaceous glands, which means no sebum and no Vitamin E or other protective antioxidants that are found in sebum. Additionally, without sebum, lips have no lipids to keep them from getting dry.

What causes dry lips?

In addition to not containing any sebum or lipids, lips can become dry due to:

• Allergic reactions. These are more likely on the lips than other areas because no skin barrier is present. Benzophenone, for example, is a sunscreen that is a common cause of dry lips.

• Using only a humectant on the lips in a dry environment. This can actually pull water out of the lips, making them even more dry. Instead, always combine humectants with an occlusive ingredient to seal moisture inside.

• Dehydration. Drink more water to help dry lips caused by dehydration.

How to treat chapped lips

To treat dry, chapped lips, the goal is to both hydrate and seal that moisture inside. Simple, effective options include petrolatum-based products like Vaseline or Aquaphor, which lock in moisture. Barrier-repair lip moisturizers like LipSmart are also excellent for restoring hydration.

For daytime, use a lip product that includes SPF. This is essential for preventing further damage. I just discovered RMS lip oil and love it. It has a tint and is very soothing.

Bottom line

Because lips lack sebum and a skin barrier, they are especially vulnerable to sun damage and dryness. Using lip moisturizers that contain both humectants and occlusives such as petroleum jelly, waxes and shea and cocoa butters, as well as a daytime lip SPF can help to protect against these common lip care concerns.

I am now seeing patients at Body and Beauty Bay Harbor, beginning April 27. Questions/comments? Come ask me on reddit r/skintypesolutions