Home Remedies for Swollen & Dry Lips
- Vitamin E is helpful for dry lips. It is an antioxidant that comes in liquid form and can be applied topically. It is ideal for healing wounds and moisturizing. Generously rub the vitamin E on your lips--either from a bottle or from gel capsules. You can carry the capsules in your purse or pocket, stick a pin in them and rub the vitamin on your lips throughout the day.
- Antibiotic ointments, such as Neosporin, are common household items used to heal cuts and other injuries. Neosporin contains neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B and bacitracin zinc (antibiotics that fight bacteria) and pramoxine to relieve pain. If your swollen lips are due to a fight or accident, wash them first with plain soap and water. Then place a dab of Neosporin or similar ointment on your fingertip and rub it into your lips as you would with petroleum jelly. This product is also good for softening dry lips and healing the cracks that make them appear dry. The company that makes Neosporin also makes a lip treatment, called Neosporin LT, designed specifically for curing severely dry and chapped lips.
- Applying cold pressure to your skin will reduce swelling. Place ice cubes in a small freezer bag and press it against your lips. Once your lips are used to the cold, you can tie a scarf around your head to hold the freezer bag in place until the ice melts down. Do this at least twice a day to reduce the swelling on your lips.
- Your lips may swell due to an allergic reaction. This could be from a food you ate, a lipstick you used or even rubbing your lips against your pillow at night. Since an allergy is a reaction of the immune system, the only home remedy for this problem is to identify and remove the source of the allergy; then allow your lips time to return to their original state.
