Questions in The Dermatology Forum are being answered by Dr. A. Rockoff , a board certified dermatologist, affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine . I have been using chapstick daily, multiple times a day for the past 5 years. When I dont use it, my lips become unbearably chapped. I have quit using the nasty flavoured stuff because it just worsens the problems.
Lips are very psychologically-sensitive areas.
Just thinking about them makes them feel dry. Whenever a patient complains of dry lips, I have to force myself not to lick them while they're talking. For some reason, those who complain tend to be young adult women, though sometimes men do too. Instead, a person starts licking their lips for no particular reason, then moisturizes, and then the cycle continues indefinitely, as saliva dries out the lips along with the act of thinking about it, and so on. You might try an OTC or prescription cortisone ointment instead of a balnd mositurizer.