Particularly painful for infants, chapped lips cause irritation and crying, leaving parents feeling helpless in the face of their child's distress. So, what should you do if your baby has chapped lips? Find some advice in this article to soothe your infant's lips.
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Chapped lips in babies: how to treat them?
Summary
Published January 7, 2025,
updated on January 7, 2025,
by
Pauline, Chemical Engineer
—
5 min read
How to soothe chapped lips in infants?
Thinner and drier than adults', baby's skin is extremely delicate. This is particularly true for their lips, where the hydrolipidic film, meant to protect the skin from external aggressions and retain water, is practically absent. Yet, despite this apparent vulnerability, chapped lips are not a common issue among infants. Pediatricians explain this apparent contradiction by the constant protection that babies benefit from, usually kept warm and minimally exposed to external irritants. That being said, there are times when their lips do become chapped, especially when they are subjected to a dry environment.
Another situation conducive to chapping in young children is their natural tendency to wet their lips with their tongue or to drool, which can damage their skin barrier. Indeed, saliva contains amylases, enzymes designed to break down food in the mouth but can alter the lipid composition of the lips when they end up outside of the mouth. Lip hydration is then no longer guaranteed, and dryness or small cracks can develop.
When this occurs, begin by gently cleaning your baby's lips with a clean cloth soaked in warm water. Then apply a thin layer of a healing balm specifically formulated for newborns. However, caution is necessary: not all balms are suitable for the delicate skin of babies and their tendency to ingest products. Therefore, it is important to choose a product specifically designed for them. To prevent your baby from licking their lips while you apply the treatment, a habit that could delay their healing, try to distract them with a toy or a pacifier, and apply the balm when they are calm, for example before a nap. Even if your child only has one chapped lip, it is advisable to evenly distribute the balm on both lips and around their mouth, in order to prevent chapping on their other lip.
If your baby's lips remain chapped despite your care, or if you notice signs of infection, it is important to consult a pediatrician. Depending on the source of the infection, they may prescribe antibiotics or antifungal medications.
Prevention: the best solution for babies' chapped lips.
Although chapped chapped lips are generally harmless, they can be a source of discomfort for your baby. However, some simple daily actions can help prevent them. One of the first instincts to adopt is to protect your infant from external aggressions, especially from the cold and wind. During walks, make sure to cover the lower part of their face with a scarf or a soft blanket, in order to prevent the cold wind and environmental pollutants from weakening the thin skin of their lips.
Another good habit to adopt: monitor the humidity in your home. Indeed, a dry air can reduce the water content of the stratum corneum and impair its barrier function. To counteract this effect, it is recommended to maintain a humidity level between 40 and 60% in the rooms of your house, including your baby's room, using a humidifier. This not only helps prevent chapped lips but also improves your child's respiratory comfort, particularly in cases of colds or nasal dryness.
Sources
LUGOVIC-MIHIC L. & al. Differential Diagnosis of Cheilitis - How to Classify Cheilitis? Acta clinical Croatica (2018).
ABACI A. & al. Exfoliative Cheilitis in Childhood: A Successful Treatment with Tacrolimus. Journal of Pediatric Academy (2023).
BAKAR A. Analysis of seven cases of angular cheilitis in children with body mass index and blood test results. Dentino Jurnal Kedokteran Gigi (2023).
ZITO P. & al. Angular Chelitis. StatPearls (2023).
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