Surprising Reasons Your Lips Are Chapped, and What to Do

Dry, chapped lips can really be a pain — and I’m saying that as a person with a lip balm stashed in every bag and room in my house. Still, annoying as the condition may seem, chapped lips are also extremely common. That’s because, according to dermatologist Marie Hayag, M.D., “lips don’t have oil glands to produce natural moisturizing factors that protect and hydrate our outermost layer of skin.” Lips can also be naturally dry because they lack the layer of skin that acts as a shield from harmful UV rays.

If you find yourself with dry lips often, however, there are plenty of other sneaky reasons why, and we had Dr. Hayag walk us through them. Read ahead to see some common reasons why your lips may often be dry, chapped, or peeling.