When you are feeling unwell, it is common to notice your lips becoming dry and chapped. This symptom often accompanies various illnesses, from a common cold to more severe infections. This article explores the physiological reasons for this, along with practical relief strategies and when to seek medical advice.
How Illness Affects Your Body’s Hydration
Illness significantly impacts the body’s fluid balance, often leading to dehydration, which directly contributes to dry lips. When you have a fever, your body’s metabolic rate increases, causing greater fluid loss through sweating and elevated breathing rates. This increased insensible water loss means your body expends more water than usual to regulate temperature.
Beyond fever, other common illness symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea can rapidly deplete bodily fluids and essential electrolytes. General malaise, nausea, or a diminished appetite during sickness often lead to reduced fluid intake, compounding fluid loss. Dehydration weakens the immune system’s ability to circulate white blood cells and flush out toxins, impacting fluid distribution and moisture levels in mucous membranes like the lips.
Breathing Patterns and Medication Side Effects
Changes in breathing patterns during illness frequently contribute to lip dryness. Nasal congestion, a common symptom of colds or flu, often forces individuals to breathe through their mouths. This continuous airflow over the lips leads to increased evaporation of moisture, making them dry.
Certain medications commonly used to alleviate illness symptoms can also cause dry lips as a side effect. Decongestants, for instance, reduce swelling in nasal passages but can also decrease saliva production, leading to dry mouth and lips. Similarly, antihistamines, used to manage allergy-like symptoms, can have a drying effect on mucous membranes by blocking specific receptors that regulate fluid secretion.
Strategies for Relief
Several practical strategies can help alleviate dry lips when you are sick. Prioritizing fluid intake is important, including water, clear broths, and electrolyte-rich solutions to replenish lost fluids. Consistent hydration supports overall bodily functions and helps keep mucous membranes moist.
Applying a non-irritating lip balm or ointment can create a protective barrier, sealing in moisture and shielding the lips from environmental factors. Look for products containing ingredients like petrolatum, shea butter, mineral oil, or ceramides, and avoid those with common irritants such as camphor, menthol, or strong flavorings. Using a humidifier in your living or sleeping area can add moisture to the air, which helps reduce dryness of the skin, nose, throat, and lips. Consciously avoiding the habit of licking your lips is beneficial, as saliva evaporates quickly and can leave lips drier than before due to its digestive enzymes.
When to Seek Medical Advice
While dry lips during illness are often temporary and manageable at home, certain signs indicate the need for medical attention. If severe dryness, cracking, or bleeding persists for more than two to three weeks despite consistent home care, consult a healthcare provider. This persistence could signal an underlying condition or require more advanced treatment.
You should seek medical advice if the dry lips are accompanied by symptoms of severe dehydration, such as extreme lightheadedness, fainting, significantly reduced or dark urine, confusion, or a rapid heart rate. Additionally, if your illness is worsening, you develop a very high fever (above 104°F or 40°C), experience difficulty breathing, or have severe pain, these are indicators to contact a healthcare professional promptly.