How to Cure Corner Lip Cracks
Cracks at the corners of your lips are unsightly, not to mention painful. Cure corner lip cracks rapidly with these proven therapies.
Instructions
- Step 1: Stay clean and dry Keep your lips clean and dry in order to keep fungus, a common cause of corner lip cracks, at bay. Brush your teeth after eating and drinking anything but water.
- Step 2: Avoid irritations Avoid licking your lips or biting the corners of your mouth, which can cause cracks and make them worsen.
- TIP: Encourage babies and toddlers with corner lip cracks to stop sucking their thumbs.
- Step 3: Apply medicated ointment Apply an over-the-counter medicated lip ointment (not a balm) frequently throughout the day.
- TIP: Ask a doctor or pharmacist about a topical antifungal cream or an antibiotic medication if you have a particularly bad, or recurring, case.
- Step 4: Drink milk Drink cow's milk to benefit from enzymes in the milk that can help ward off crack-causing bacteria.
- Step 5: Increase vitamin B intake Bump up your vitamin B1 and B12 intake, which helps prevent corner lip cracks and helps your immune system fight off the bacteria faster when you do get cracks.
- Step 6: Disinfect dentures Soak dentures in a 10-to-one part solution of water to household bleach to disinfect them.
- Step 7: Repair skin with vitamin E Break vitamin E gel capsules open with a sterilized needle and apply the liquid to the lesions. This will help the lesions heal more quickly and have you looking like new in no time.
- FACT: Kevin Crossman, founder of Lip Balm Anonymous, started the support group for sufferers of lip balm addiction in the mid-1990s.
You Will Need
- Medicated ointment
- Milk
- Vitamin B supplements
- Bleach
- Vitamin E capsules
- Antifungal or antibiotic medication (optional)