Even if you’re diligent about sunscreen, it’s easy to forget about your lips. And the price of sunburned lips is not just some serious discomfort, it’s everything sunburn and sun exposure brings with it, including a heightened risk of skin cancer and wrinkles.

It’s been drilled into most people to wear sunscreen on a daily basis, and lip protection shouldn’t be an afterthought. “Lips are an important part of the skin to protect because they are exposed every single day, year-round,” explains Elizabeth Hale, M.D.,co-founder of Complete Skin MD in New York City. “They are at particular risk for a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma,” she explains. And your lower lip is especially vulnerable since it’s directly facing the sun.

On top of it, sunburned lips can bring other unpleasantries. “They can also make some people who are prone to cold sores get a flare-up,” says Men’s Health dermatology advisor Adnan Nasir, M.D., Ph.D.

Dermatologists have tips for soothing sunburned lips, but, no surprise, they stress how important it is to prevent the damage in the first place. And some of the strategies for keeping your lips from getting sunburned may surprise you.

The best way to “treat” sunburned lips is to prevent them

“If you burn the lips, they do heal more quickly than other areas due to their excellent blood supply, but the damage is cumulative and lasts forever, so prevention is key!” stresses Dr. Hale.

What to do if you do get sunburned lips

Of course, you’re going to want to get away from the sun—healing can be delayed if you stay out in it. Then apply some sort of soothing balm. It’s especially important to use a moisturizing balm at night while your skin repairs itself, explains Dr. Hale.

So this is where you can pull out the Aquaphor—just switch to something with an SPF during the day, of course. Also for nighttime soothing of sunburned lips, Dr. Nasir recommends Dr. Dan’s Lip Balm; Dr. Hale likes Dr. Rogers Restore.

Depending on the severity, sunburns heal in 7 to 14 days, says Dr. Nasir. “Long-term damage can include discoloration of the lips,” he adds. And don’t forget the increased risk of sun damage and skin cancer, a risk that doesn’t go away when the burn does. Easier, smarter, and healthier to just pick up a good lip balm and reapply it every one to two hours.

Best Lip Balms to Avoid Sunburned Lips

Source: Read Full Article