Are Your Lips Sunburned? Here Are The Telltale Signs (And What You Can Do About It)
Can’t seem to salve the chapped lips away? You may need to up the ante on your SPF routine—find out more in our latest beauty guide below.
“Three fingers worth”. That’s how much sunscreen you’re supposed to use on your face and neck. It’s a good rule to abide by, ensuring you’re getting the full protection from your SPF, as stated on the packaging. You’ll glide it over your cheeks, forehead, and jaw, dragging the excess down your neck, until it’s all (hopefully) blended in. From there, you’ll step outside, ready to brave the blazing sun face to face.
There’s just one problem. You’ve forgotten something. Every inch of your face is protected except for your lips, which are now freckled, chapped, and pale. Surprise, surprise, the sun’s UV rays don’t care that your lip gloss is in the way—it’s here to wreak as much havoc on your exposed skin as it can.
When it does, the sun damage can manifest in many different ways on the lips. It may appear as a rough, dry, and scaly texture on your pout. It may show up as freckles or patches of hyperpigmentation. Sometimes, in particularly bad cases, it causes lines and wrinkles to form, paired with soreness, persistent redness and swelling. It can also just leave your lips looking pale overall.
Either way, if you’ve noticed any of these signs (or you’d like to stop them in their tracks), it’s likely you require a little guidance. That’s why we’re here with the ultimate guide to treating your overly sun-kissed lips, from how to protect them to how to heal them. Find the full guide ahead:
How can you protect your lips against sun damage?
Option 1: Use your sunscreen
It really is as simple as just swiping on your usual SPF over your lips when you’re doing the rest of your face. Ideally, you’ll be using a sunscreen that’s rated SPF30 and above, and reapplying every two to four hours.
Option 2: SPF lip balm
Okay, so maybe your sunscreen tastes bad and leaves a white cast that just doesn’t belong on your lips. In this case, an SPF lip balm is the perfect compromise. Some SPF lip balm formulations are too thick, too goopy, or just a little icky tasting, but these options give you the same finish you love and expect from your favourite lippy—with a hefty helping of sun protection.
Option 3: Double down on both
If you’re really paranoid about your lips suffering from a sunburn (or you’re particularly prone to conditions like hyperpigmentation), you can always layer up your products. After all, more SPF is always more!
What do you do to heal sun-damaged lips?
The good news? The process is simple—it just takes a while. As you would with any sunburn, you’ll want to baby your skin with soothing and healing products. Anything with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and lanolin will work great. Whether it’s your favourite overnight lip mask or plain petroleum jelly, all you want to do is make sure that your skin barrier recovers. Our favourite trick is to apply a layer of your serum, follow up with your regular moisturiser, and top it off with petroleum jelly or lip mask. It’s a foolproof routine that seals in moisture and facilitates quicker skin healing!
As for things like hyperpigmentation or freckles, you can try layering on brightening serums and retinoids after your skin has healed to lighten up the marks. For stubborn spots, you can also explore options like laser resurfacing treatments. And, of course, make sure that you’re keeping up with your sunscreen application daily.
That said, if your skin doesn’t improve, you encounter stubborn patches of scaly skin or any unusual marks and artefacts on your lips, go see a dermatologist immediately.
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