Chapped Lips

Attempting to find out the cause of severely chapped lips is never easy. There are various points of origin that you will have to research on and take notice of the results.

These are the ten most common causes of chronic chapped lips. Use them for a starting point in identifying the culprit!

1. Although we tend to overlook this one, toothpaste is a very common contributor to chapped lips. Most toothpastes contain what is called guaiazuline, which may cause a contact allergy.

2. Lipstick contains an ingredient called propyl gallate which can also cause a contact allergy.

3. Orange juice or any other juice from citrus fruits can irritate your lips. A photo-toxic reaction can occur that looks like chapped lips.

4. Red dye is in many products that we all use. Candy, lozenges, gum, mouthwash, etc. all contain red dye that may cause allergies.

5. Various other lip care products besides lipstick are also a point of interest when it comes to pin-pointing allergic reactions. Many contain Phenylsalicylate (salol) which may be the cause.

6. Too much vitamin A may also be the culprit behind your peeling lips. It does not matter if the source of your vitamin A comes from whole foods or supplements, if you are taking in more than 25,000 I.U. per day then you might want to take a closer look at this.

7. In addition to excessive vitamin A, your body may be taking in too much Vitamin B12 supplements. What happens is that you develop an allergy to cobalt from taking your B12 supplements and causes crusty and swollen lips.

8. Cinnamon flavoring can also cause lip chapping. This flavoring is found in candy, gum, mouthwashes, etc.

9. Eating too many figs can also cause your allergic reaction due to photo-toxicity.

10. And interestingly enough, metal objects like paper clips and pocket change is a very likely cause of chronic chapped lips. An allergic reaction may show itself on your lips.

information from www.Vitaminstohealth.com