How to Fix a Toddler's Chapped Lips

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It can be hard to watch your toddler develop dry, chapped lips. Fortunately, there are many ways to fix a toddler’s chapped lips. You can improve your toddler’s lip health by keeping them hydrated and protecting their mouth from cold winter weather. Apply a lip balm, petroleum jelly, or other salve to reduce swelling and irritation. Your toddler’s chapped lips should heal in a few short days.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Applying Topical Agents

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  1. There are a number of ointments and oils that might fix your toddler’s chapped lips. For instance, you could wipe a thin layer of petroleum jelly, olive oil, or vegetable oil over your child’s lips. You could also pierce a vitamin E capsule with a pin and squeeze a bit of the oil inside onto their lips.
  2. Use a clean cotton bud to apply balm on their chapped lips, just enough to cover the affected area. Apply the balm once in the morning and once before going to bed. Reapply shortly before you go outside. [1]
    • Balms that contain beeswax or petroleum are the most effective.
    • Avoid the urge to use your finger to apply lip balm. Doing so could introduce germs to your toddler’s chapped lips. [2]
    • Don’t use flavored or scented lip balms, which might encourage your child to lick their lips.
    • Don’t use lip balms containing camphor or phenol, which can dry your lips out. [3]
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  3. Excessive sun exposure can contribute to chapped lips. A balm with an SPF of 15 or greater can protect your toddler's lips from the sun. [4]
    • Sunscreen is only acceptable on your child’s lips if it is incorporated into a lip balm. Don’t put sunscreen directly on their lips.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Making Behavioral Changes

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  1. Toddlers are often naughty and don’t take well to directions. Drawing attention to the problem will likely lead to increased, not decreased, lip-licking. [5]
  2. The air coming from their mouth will constantly pass over their lips and dry them out. Demonstrate the proper breathing technique for your child when you notice them breathing through their mouth. [6]
  3. Winter weather will contribute to the drying of your child’s lips by making their lips lose moisture. A scarf can protect your child’s chapped lips from the cold, dry weather that exacerbates their condition.
    • In a cold weather, try to get your child to play indoors.
  4. Your toddler’s lips might become dehydrated during periods of cold, dry weather. Place a humidifier in your home or in your child’s room to prevent the air from becoming too dry. [7]
  5. Dehydration is a major source of chapped lips. If your child is not getting enough water, they might suffer from chapped lips. Offer them water at mealtimes and play times throughout the day to prevent dehydration. [8]
  6. Anxiety is often a cause of lip licking. Talk to your child regularly in a kind and reassuring way. Provide a stable, safe environment for your child to play in, and keep them away from stressful situations (like, for instance, barking dogs or mean children who might scare them). [9]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Managing Irritants

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  1. Some fragrances, dyes, and other potential allergens can cause your toddler to develop chapped lips. If you know that your child has an allergy, work to limit their exposure to it. Additionally, do not apply cosmetics like lipstick to your toddler, as they often contain chemicals that might cause an allergic drying reaction on your child’s lips. [10]
    • If you believe that your child might have allergies, take them to a doctor. The doctor can perform tests to see what exactly is triggering your child's reaction.
  2. Toothpastes that contain an active ingredient called sodium lauryl sulfate may cause the lips to dry and can even irritate them, leading to chapped lips. Check the ingredients label on your child’s toothpaste to ensure it does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate. [11]
    • Ensure that your child’s toothpaste also does not contain cinnamates, which can be irritating for someone with chapped lips.
  3. The acid in citrus fruits has a tendency to irritate the lips and can cause your child’s lips to become sensitive to sunlight. As a result, the moisture from their lips quickly evaporates in the sun, leading to chapped lips. [12]
    • Citrus fruits to avoid include lemons, oranges, grapefruits, mandarins, pomelos, and limes.
    • If you are concerned about your child's vitamin C intake, you can give them kale, peppers, broccoli, or strawberries instead. Talk to your doctor about other sources of vitamin C.
  4. Vitamin B deficiency can contribute to chapped lips. Feed your child more foods with Vitamin B, including meat, fish, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, whole grains, and nuts. [13]
    • The exact amount of vitamin B your child needs depends on their weight and age. Talk to your pediatrician to determine exactly how much vitamin B you should be giving your child.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Dealing With More Serious Cases

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  1. These symptoms could indicate a more serious condition, but only a doctor will be able to make an accurate diagnosis. While serious problems are rare, they need to be taken care of immediately.
    • Your toddler should also see a doctor if their chapped lips are accompanied by other symptoms of illness (for instance, if they cough, wheeze, or struggle to breathe) or if they have a rash elsewhere on their body.
    • If they are not drinking as much as usual, look for signs of dehydration. These include an inability to keep fluids down, a lack of energy, reduced urination, or a lack of tears when they cry.
  2. If your toddler’s lips are cracked and not healing after two weeks of treatment, schedule an appointment with your doctor. If at any time your child’s lips are not only cracked, but bleeding, call the doctor immediately.
  3. Look on their tongue, inside of their cheek, inside of their lip, and on their gums for white patches. These patches coupled with chapped lips (and, especially, cracking or chapping at the corners of the mouth) can be signs that your child has a Candida or yeast infection. Your doctor may recommend the application of an anti-fungal cream or liquid to treat the infection. [14]
    • The precise application method for the medication your doctor recommends varies depending on the product. Consult your doctor or manufacturer directions for specific use guidelines.
  4. If your child has red, scaly patches over their lips, the skin above and below the lips, and the skin on edges of the lips, they might have more than a regular case of chapped lips. These are symptoms of lip licker’s dermatitis, a medical condition. Your doctor will be able to recommend the best treatment, which typically consists of rubbing a thin layer of petroleum jelly over the affected area. [15]
    • If your toddler is affected by lip licker’s dermatitis, they might also have patches of eczema (dry, scaly skin) on other areas of their bodies, so look them over closely and let your doctor know if you find any such patches.
    • In rare cases, your child might require a mild topical steroid, antifungal cream, or antibiotic cream. [16] Your doctor will advise your regarding how to administer these additional treatments, should they become necessary.
    • If dermatitis is the issue, try to encourage your child to stop licking their lips.
  5. Rosen’s Ointment -- also known as 1-2-3 Ointment -- is made of Burrow’s Solution, a topical agent used to treat swelling, rashes, and skin irritation. It also contains Aquaphor, a skin moisturizer, and zinc oxide. Apply the mixture liberally over your child’s chapped lips. [17]
    • Rosen’s Ointment is not available commercially but your pharmacist can prepare it for you.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22005-chapped-lips#prevention
      2. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sore-or-dry-lips/
      3. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=w-gCBAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA29&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false
      4. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sore-or-dry-lips/
      5. ↑ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/Pages/The-Disobedient-Child.aspx
      6. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-tips-to-protect-your-lips-from-the-cold
      7. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/heal-dry-chapped-lips
      8. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sore-or-dry-lips/
      9. ↑ https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/behaviour/common-concerns/habits
      1. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/heal-dry-chapped-lips
      2. ↑ https://www.thehealthfeed.com/healthy-living/common-causes-chapped-lips
      3. ↑ https://www.thehealthfeed.com/healthy-living/common-causes-chapped-lips
      4. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=w-gCBAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA29&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false
      5. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=w-gCBAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA29&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false
      6. ↑ https://dermnetnz.org/topics/lip-lickers-dermatitis
      7. ↑ https://www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-of-atopic-dermatitis-eczema
      8. ↑ https://www.integrativehealthcare.org/mt/chronic-chapped-lip-solutions/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If your toddler has chapped lips, you can help them heal with a few simple products and lifestyle changes. Apply a thin layer of an oil-based product, like petroleum jelly, olive oil, or vegetable oil, to your child’s lips to protect them. If you take them outside in cold, dry weather, apply lip balm to their chapped lips too. You can also wrap a scarf around their mouth and nose to keep their lips warm. Make sure your child drinks 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to keep their lips hydrated. If their cracked lips don’t heal after 2 weeks of treatment or they start bleeding, schedule an appointment with your doctor. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to keep your child’s lips healthy by altering their diet, read on!

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      • Anonymous

        Feb 13, 2018

        "Toothpaste ingredient, sodium laurel sulfate. This was the culprit that was causing the dry peeling lips on my ..." more
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