During the month of Ramadan, moslems will refrain from eating and drinking for about 10–13 hours, depending on where they live. One complaint frequently found during a fast is dry, chapped lips. Although this symptom is not dangerous, dry and cracked lips can be uncomfortable and may affect your self-confidence.

Tips for Managing Dry Lips During a Fast

Do you often notice dry lips during a fast? This situation commonly affects people who are fasting. Dry lips during a fast is caused by limited fluid intake, sun exposure, and the habit of licking the lips. In addition, the skin on the lips is thinner than most other areas of the body, which makes it more prone to dryness and cracking.

If you frequently experience dry lips during a fast, try the following ways to manage them:

1. Stay hydrated during a fast

Make sure you drink enough water and stay hydrated at suhoor and iftar. By staying well hydrated, you can reduce the risk of dehydration and chapped lips. Drink enough water at suhoor. Then, you can drink two glasses of water when breaking the fast and four glasses after dinner until close to bedtime.

2. Apply lip balm

To prevent dehydration, you can use a lip care product such as lip balm. Choose a lip balm that contains petroleum jelly to help lock in moisture in your lips. You can apply lip balm whenever your lips feel dry, before bedtime and before going outdoors.

When you select a lip balm, ensure the product contains SPF 30 or higher to protect the skin from the sun. Sun exposure can also make your lips even drier.

3. Reduce the habit of licking your lips

When the lips feel dry, many people will instinctively lick them to make the lips be moist again. However, this habit actually makes them lips drier.

Saliva contains digestive enzymes such as amylase and maltase that can damage the skin on the lips. If you repeatedly wet your lips with saliva, they become more vulnerable to dry air, that cause the lips to crack or bleed.

Licking the lips may make the lips moist, but only for a short time. Once saliva evaporates, your lips will become drier than before. If you live in a dry climate, this habit can lead to dry, cracked, and peeling lips.

4. Avoid deliberately exfoliating your lips

When lips feel dry and cracked, another common response besides licking is to pick at the outer layer. However, this can cause sores and bleeding.

To keep lips moisturized, you can exfoliate them on a regular schedule. You can use a store-bought lip scrub or natural ingredients such as salt and honey. When you exfoliate your lips, do it gently and slowly to avoid irritation.

These are several ways to help prevent dry lips during fasting. For reliable health information, you can consult a doctor or use the consultation service in the AiCare app.

Looking for more information about health tips and tricks, first aid, and other home remedies? Click here!