Chemotherapy Side Effects: Chapped Lips
- CancerPal
- Jun 22
- 5 min read
Chemotherapy treatment can cause a host of unwelcome side effects. In this article we take a look at the common side effect of sore, chapped lips as well as cold sores. We'll be looking at what causes these side effects together with what you can do to prevent and treat them.
What are chapped lips?
Chapped lips are a common condition in which the lips become dry, cracked and sore. Despite being a common side effect of cancer treatment, chapped lips are often considered a trivial, but this is not the case as dry lips can easily become cracked, leading to bleeding and the possibility of infection.
In addition, in 2010 Professor RJ Thomas, Consultant Oncology and Head of Research at Bedford Hospital published research in the Journal Focus on Cancer Medicine, suggesting that for those going through chemotherapy treatment, there is a link between chapped lips and cold sores. Thomas's research found that patients were 2.5 times more likely to have cold sores if they had chapped lips.
What causes chapped lips?
Our lips are made up of skin that is very delicate and many times thinner than the skin on the rest of our body which makes them prone to dryness, flaking, cracking, and peeling. According to Professor RJ Thomas, the incidence and severity of chapped lips increases to over 67% during and after chemotherapy, this is likely to be caused by chemotherapy damaging the rapidly dividing basal cells in the vermillion border.
There are a number of other factors that contribute to the incidence and severity of chapped lips including overexposure to the sun or cold wind, dehydration particularly associated with alcohol intake and other drugs which cause oral dryness including codeine, opiates, anti cholinergics and aromatase inhibitors. Other medical conditions associated with sore lips include malnutrition, particularly Vitamins C and B deficiency, systematic sclerosis, eczema, Cushing's Syndrome or long term steroid intake. Some people can also irritate their lips by habitually licking them,
How to treat chapped lips
In Professor Thomas's study, patients who used a lip cream containing natural ingredients such as beeswax found this to be more helpful than patients who used a petroleum based lip balm.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association has the following advice for treating chapped lips:
Use non-irritating lip products:
Many people mistake discomfort, such as burning, stinging, or tingling, as a sign that the active ingredients in a product are working. That’s not what’s happening. You’re actually irritating your lips, so you want to stop using any product that irritates your lips.
If your lips burn, sting or feel uncomfortable when you apply a product to your lips, it means you're irritating your lips, so you should stop using that product.
Apply a lip balm or ointment several times a day and before bed:
Lip balm seals cracks in your lips, and ointment keeps your lips hydrated for a longer duration based on the ingredients and thickness of the ointment. You can apply lip balms and lip ointments as needed throughout the day when you notice your lips are dry. Using lip ointment at night will keep your lips hydrated throughout the night. Always reapply lip balm or ointment after eating and drinking.
Use a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher before going outdoors:
Even in the winter, it’s important to protect your lips from the sun. The sun can burn dry, chapped lips more easily, which could trigger cold sores. While outdoors, apply the lip balm every 2 hours.
Drink plenty of water:
Chapped lips are dry lips, so you want to stay hydrated.
Stop licking, biting, and picking at your lips:
When lips feel dry, it may feel natural to wet them by licking them, but this can worsen the problem. As saliva evaporates, your lips become drier.
Avoid holding items made of metal with your lips:
Paperclips, jewellery, and other everyday products made of metal can irritate your already sensitive lips.
Plug in a humidifier at home:
A humidifier in your bedroom can be especially helpful, especially if you breathe through your mouth at night.
By following these dermatologists’ tips for chapped lips, you should see a noticeable improvement in 2 to 3 weeks.
Ingredients that can help heal chapped lips
While some ingredients can irritate dry, cracked lips, others can help them heal. When looking for products to use on your chapped lips, American Academy of Dermatology Association recommend ones that contain one or more of the following:
Castor seed oil
Ceramides
Dimethicone
Hemp seed oil
Mineral oil
Petrolatum
Shea butter
Sun-protective ingredients, such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide
White petroleum jelly
It also helps to use products that are fragrance free and hypoallergenic.
Ingredients to avoid while your lips are chapped
To help chapped lips heal, the American Academy of Dermatology Association also suggests avoiding the use of lip products that contain any of the following:
Camphor
Eucalyptus
Flavouring: Cinnamon, citrus, mint, and peppermint flavours can be especially irritating to dry, chapped lips
Fragrance
Lanolin
Menthol
Octinoxate or oxybenzone
Phenol (or phenyl)
Propyl gallate
Salicylic acid
12 Tips to help prevent chapped lips when going through chemotherapy
It is much better to try to prevent chapped lips occurring in the first place, than to try to treat chapped lips. Here are Professor R J Thomas's Top Tips for protecting your lips when going through chemotherapy:
1. Moisturise your lips from the start of chemotherapy.
2. Use a natural oil based lip balm regularly.
3. Apply lip balms more liberally before flying or before drinking alcohol.
4. Avoid dehydration - drink enough throughout the day.
5. Before sun exposure apply a sun screen and a natural lip balm afterwards.
6. Protect the lips from the wind.
7. Ensure good nutrition (if chapping or cold sores persistent consider micro-nutritional testing).
8. Avoid licking the lips excessively.
9. Avoid trauma to the lips - chewing, dry crisps etc.
10. Exercise regularly but apply a lip balm before activity.
11. Apply anti-virals as soon as the tingling of cold sores starts.
12. If more than one cold sore develops during chemotherapy consider oral anti-virals early.
Lip Balms we stock on the CancerPal Marketplace
CancerPal stocks the following lip balms:
The Jennifer Young Lip Balm is a fragrance-free balm, formulated especially for skin undergoing and recovering from chemotherapy treatment. The Lip Balm is an extremely effective balm, helping those suffering from chapped, sore and dry lips. The Lip Balm is a blend of cleansing sweet almond oil, moisture sealing beeswax and nourishing coca butter and does not contain any essential oils.
MooGoo Edible Lip Balm is perfect for soft and smooth lips and is made with edible ingredients, because everything on the lips eventually gets eaten. Containing Coconut, Apricot, Jojoba and Sweet Almond Oil to hydrate and nourish your lips. Allantoin to help the repair of minor cuts and Mandarin Orange Peel Oil to encourage repair and keep your lips in a healthy state.
MooGoo Edible Lip Balm SPF15 uses Zinc Oxide for natural, physical sun protection, along with some natural moisturising oils to make this one of the most natural SPF lip balms ever and enabling you to protect your lips, without having to eat petroleum jelly or UV Filters.
CancerPal stocks a variety of lip balms as well as a range of other non-medical products to help ease the side effects of cancer treatment, that can be found in the CancerPal Marketplace.
Comments