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.

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.