We
use them all the time, yet the funny thing is, the term we use-
'lips' is not what they're really called, and I could bet most
of you won't know the real name for them. They are really called
'the vermilion boarder. And to add more confusion, they aren't
really skin.
So
what are they made out of if they're not really skin?
They are more similar to what are called the 'mucous membranes'
inside the mouth. They are what we call skin, but they differ
quite a lot to what we refer to as the skin on our bodies. Our
lips are not protected by the thick layers (called cornified tissue)
of skin like on the rest of our body. They have much fewer layers
of skin. This causes the blood vessels in our lips to be closer
to the surface. It is this closeness of these blood vessels that
gives our lips that beautiful rosy red colour. But because of
this lack of skin, they are much more prone to drying out, along
with other various problems such as burning from the sun and wind.
Another
problem that contributes to dry lips that they have no oil glands,
which obviously makes more it difficult for them to stay moist.
And that's not all, the reason they dry so easily, is because
they have less pigment in them compared to the skin on the rest
of the body. Therefore they burn more easily from the sun, as
it is the pigment in skin that helps protect us from burning to
a crisp.
So
how do you keep your lips beautiful?
The
elements
The best thing you can do is to stock up on lip balm that has
a high protective sunscreen, and not just only in summer, but
in winter also. During summer there is the problem of increased
burning, and you may not know it, but winter can be more damaging
to your lips than summer. As most of us know, due to our damaged
ozone layer, the sun is strong throughout the whole year. So winter
is no exception, and to add to this because of the dry air in
winter, your lips are more likely to become dehydrated, and if
you live in areas of snow, the light reflecting off the snow is
worse for your lips than the summer sun.
Licking
Although winter is drying to lips due to the dry atmosphere, licking
them will only make them drier. Unfortunately it is an unconscious
habit, but every time you lick, the saliva that you put on them
evaporates, and with that evaporation goes the natural moisture
that your lips produce. The end result is that your lips will
become drier and drier.
Biting
Biting or otherwise known as chewing, is just as bad as licking-
if not worse. Biting is a habit, and one, if you want healthy
lips, you should try breaking. Biting also dries out your lips,
along with taking off small amounts the little skin that already
exist there. If you can't break the habit of chewing them, then
at least apply lip balm more frequently, as this will help to
protect them to some degree.
Bedtime
rules
One way to help your lips recover from their hard day's work is
to lather them with petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is usually
one of the main ingredients in lip balm, mind you during the day,
you may look pretty weird if you smoother your lips with a good
millimetre of it. So at night, when no one can see you, pack it
on, so it stays on during sleep. This will help to keep the natural
moisture in, and prevent any further water loss.
Other
tips for healthy lips!
Your lips will reflect the health of your body-
So always:
Drink
plenty of water (at least 2 litres a day), if you are dehydrated
your lips will be one of the first things to let you know, by
drying out.
Eat lots of fruit and vegies, these will increase your vitamin
intake, which adds to the help of your skin, including your lips.
And
of course, don't forget when you kiss a lot, apply lip balm on
the hours away from your partner, as intensive kissing can be
abrasive to lips (& you definitely need soft beautiful lips
to kiss your man with)! |
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