Dry lips in newborns: Is it a common phenomenon? What causes dry lips in babies? Is it due to a nutrient deficiency? Is it a sign of illness? What treatments should mothers apply when their baby has dry lips? Mothers are often worried about any unusual symptoms appearing on their baby’s body. To find the cause and solution for dry lips in babies, read this article.
Causes of Dry Lips in Babies
Dry lips in newborns are not uncommon. However, for first-time mothers, this sign can be very worrying. After noticing dry lips in their baby, many mothers wonder: What nutrient deficiency causes dry lips in babies? or What illness causes dry lips in children? If you haven’t found the answer yet, you must be very worried and anxious. Here’s the explanation:
Dry lips in babies occur when the baby’s lips exhibit symptoms such as: Lips are much drier than usual; deep cracks appear; the area around the lip line is darker; the cracked area will be redder than usual; the baby will experience pain when moving their lips. Some severe symptoms include: peeling lips in newborns or bleeding cracked lips in babies. The causes of dry lips in newborns are:
- Weather changes: A newborn’s lip skin is very thin; if the baby hasn’t adapted to the weather outside or if the weather changes, it can cause dry lips.
- Direct exposure of lips to wind or cold air: After just one night of lying in front of a fan or in a place where the airflow from the air conditioner blows directly onto them, the baby can also get dry lips.
- Insufficient water intake: Usually, breastfed babies receive adequate nutrition and hydration. However, when food intake is insufficient, the water supply for the baby also decreases, leading to dry lips.
- Mouth breathing: Newborns breathing through their mouths due to not yet adapting or due to nasal congestion can also lead to dry lips.
- Lip licking or sucking: Licking lips accelerates the evaporation of water and moisture loss, making the baby’s lips prone to dryness and cracking.
- Nutrient deficiency: If nutritional needs are not met, nutrient deficiencies can also lead to dry lips and dry skin in babies.
- Allergies: When a baby’s body reacts to allergens, dry lips can sometimes occur.
How to Treat Dry Lips in Newborns
As you can see, there are many reasons why babies get dry lips. These causes are usually not too serious. However, to prevent dry lips from persisting and worsening, leading to peeling, cracking, bleeding, etc., which can cause discomfort for the baby, you should treat it early. Here’s how to treat dry lips in newborns:
Use Kiss Chuchu Lip Balm
Kiss Chuchu is a line of lip balms researched and manufactured by the Japanese brand Chuchu. This line is specifically designed for babies 6 months and older, pregnant women, and adults. Chuchu Baby Lip Balm softens the baby’s lips, provides moisture, and treats dry, chapped lips. It’s very easy to use; simply apply the lip balm to the dry areas of the baby’s lips as recommended.
Use Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which helps heal skin safely and effectively. You probably used a lot of coconut oil during pregnancy to soften your skin and prevent stretch marks, right? Besides its use in skincare, coconut oil can also effectively treat dry lips in babies. Therefore, choose a reputable place to buy coconut oil for use. How to use: Wash and dry your hands, then dab a little coconut oil and apply it evenly to the dry areas of your baby’s lips.
Use Breast Milk
Breastfeed your baby to replenish lost fluids, reducing dry lips. You can also apply breast milk to your baby’s lips to moisturize and alleviate dryness. This is an easy way to care for your newborn, isn’t it?
Use Nipple Cream
Medela nipple cream, which treats cracked nipples, contains gentle ingredients that are safe for babies. In addition to treating cracked nipples, this cream can also help treat dry lips in babies.
As mentioned above, most dry lip symptoms only cause mild discomfort and soreness in babies. You can use the methods above and treat your baby yourself. However, if your baby has dry lips accompanied by other signs such as red eyes and fever, they may have Kawasaki disease – a fever and inflammation syndrome with persistent dry lips as a symptom. In this case, you need to take your baby to the hospital for examination and treatment.
Above are the causes and treatments you should apply immediately when your newborn has dry lips. The earlier dry lips are treated, the faster the recovery. If dry, cracked, and bleeding lips are left untreated, it not only causes pain, discomfort, and picky eating in the baby but also makes treatment longer, more prolonged, and more difficult.
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