What do sunburned lips look like? What are the symptoms and home remedies for healing sunburn blisters and rash on your lips? How long does it take for the blisters to heal? Here are pictures and insight on healing swollen lips from sunburn.
The sun is releases harmful rays which can damage your skin. The skin has melanin that helps to prevent the dangerous effects. However, there are times when the skin cannot contain the rays and give way for skin burn, in this case, sunburn. The lips form part of the parts of the boy that are exposed to the sun and hence likely to be affected.
Sunburned lips
Sunburnt lips
The moment you forget to apply sunscreen on your lips during an outdoor activity, then you are likely to be a victim of sunburn on your lips. The ultraviolet rays are divided into UVA and UVB. The dangerous ones are UVB responsible for the burn. When on an outdoor activity, apply on your lips and other exposed parts after every two hours.
Children are more affected by sunburn more than adults. This is because their skins are not well developed. Their skins are therefore not capable of protecting the skin as required. Those with fair skin pigmentation are also at a higher risk compared to those of the dark pigmentation especially of the African descent. The lower lip is at a higher risk as compared to the upper lip due to exposure.
Dermatologists point out that many people forget to apply sunscreen on the lips and this accounts for almost everyone having suffered sunburn on the lips at some point in their lives. They also observe that if you are dark colored, you can be grossly affected by sunburn.
You will realize that after enjoying some time outside in the sun, your lips begin to itch and feel warm. The worst of all is the lips may end up getting blisters after some time. The lips sunburned will take just the same process and time to heal like any other part of the skin on your body.
Pictures
Pictures speak volumes about something. Here is a collection of pictures that show sunburn lip blisters and sun-damaged lips when they are swollen. A proper understanding of how they look enables you to handle them when they face you. The pictures are however generated from internet sources. Chances are that they might not look as exact as those on your lips. You need a proper diagnosis to ascertain.
Swollen lips with blisters
Symptoms
The appearance of sunburn on your lips is easy to point out because they are very different from any other burn. They present the following symptoms:
- Bleeding from the splits.
- Cracking or splitting
- Dryness due to excessive dehydration and too much heat.
- Extreme sensitive to touch.
- Inflammation or a burning sensation of the lips.
- It may form scabs as a result of bleeding
- Itchy feeling.
- Peeling occurs later as a repairmen process.
- Swollen
- The lips may turn to a pink or red shade.
See also: Blisters and bumps on lips
Home remedy to heal sunburned lips fast
Honey
The use of raw honey can help prevent the occurrence of blisters on the lips. It can further prevent infection of the lips. Apart from that, honey is anti-inflammatory and as a result, it has a soothing effect when used on damaged and irritated skin. One of the best types of honey to use for sunburn is Manuka honey. This is because of its medicinal properties.
A study published in The Journal Foods found that Manuka honey helps to soothe open wounds. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make it a great natural healer. In fact, the study also mentioned the effectiveness of Manuka honey on sunburn.7
Directions of use:
The application of little of the Manuka honey is very perfect in dealing with blisters on your lips. The procedure below would help:
- Take some little amount of Manuka honey and dab on your sunburned lips.
- Let the honey stay on the lips and reapply frequently throughout the day.
- Continue using Manuka honey for your lips until your lips are completely healed.
- If you don’t have Manuka honey, you can use raw organic honey to help treat burn wounds.
Coconut oil
The coconut used in this case is the virgin coconut oil. It has many uses at home and therefore its use in quickening healing of blistered lips is one of them. The oil is a great moisturizer and apart from that, it can help you treat your blistered lip. The anti-inflammatory properties and antimicrobial properties in virgin coconut oil cause wounds to heal quicker.
Several reviews from those who used it in burns approve that the oil is very beneficial in the healing process. Coconut oil helps accelerate wound healing. This is because it has an antibacterial activity which prevents infection.
Directions of use:
The application of coconut oil is very easy and it gives a result within a very short time. The directions of use are as follows:
- Apply some virgin coconut oil onto your lips that have symptoms of burning.
- Use 2-3 times a day to keep your lips moisturized and help speed up the healing process.
- Continue using until your sunburn is healed.
- The oil can be combined with aloe vera gel for better profile healing of the wound.
Lavender oil
This oil has very many properties, some of which can be used in the cases of sunburn on lips as well as helping treat burn wounds. Many studies into the healing effect of using lavender oil topically have found that its antimicrobial properties have the ability to reduce inflammation as well as having an overall positive effect on burns.
The Journal Phytotherapy Research reported that there is scientific and clinical data to support the use of lavender as an effective treatment for burns.
The directions of use
To help sunburned lips heal quicker with lavender oil, it should be mixed with a carrier oil like coconut oil. Having the oil together, do the following:
- Make a healing salve by mixing 2-3 drops of food grade lavender oil with 1 tablespoon coconut oil.
- Apply the lavender remedy to your sunburned lips.
- Use 2-3 times a day to promote wound healing and get rid of the effects of sunburn on your lips for good.
Chamomile
This is an oil that has been in use for so many centuries now. It has been used to help calm the mind in the course of time. However, applying chamomile to damaged lips can help to reduce inflammation, pain, and help the sunburn to heal quicker.
There are a number of studies conducted and have shown that it is an effective anti-inflammatory agent with pain-relief properties. For instance, The Journal of Natural Product Research reported that the antioxidant and inflammation-reducing properties of chamomile make it an effective treatment for burns. In fact, the researchers concluded that “chamomile oil had a good potential for acceleration of burn wound healing.”
Directions of use:
To help speed up the healing process of sunburned lips, this is how you can make a chamomile extract salve.
- Mix 2-3 drops of chamomile oil with either a tablespoon of coconut oil or aloe vera.
- Apply the chamomile remedy 2-3 times a day to your sore lips.
- Repeat every day to help speed up healing time and get relief from your sunburn.
Alternatively, you can make a cool, soothing chamomile compress to heal sunburned lips. This method involves using your old tea bags for healing. It is as follows:
- Put a chamomile tea bag in a cup of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes.
- Remove the tea bag and leave to cool (best place is in the refrigerator).
- Place the cool chamomile tea bag onto your mouth and leave for 10-15 minutes.
- Repeat 2-3 times a day until you no longer have signs of sunburn on your lips.
Chamomile tea bags are also a great way to get rid of puffy-looking eyes quickly.
Oatmeal compress
An oatmeal compress provides an easy and a very quick way to get rid of sunburn. It finds use in many skin preparations for its anti-inflammatory activity and to help to quickly soothe itchiness on the skin.
The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology in 2015 reported on the clinical properties of oatmeal. Among the benefits of oatmeal for your skin are using it as a cleanser, moisturizer, skin protector, and soothing agent. The study revealed that oatmeal is used to heal burns, eczema, skin rashes, and reduce swelling.
Directions of use:
You can quickly make an oatmeal healing compress at home for its dermatological benefits and speed up the healing process of your sunburned lips. To do this,
- Grind about ½ a cup of oats in a blender
- Mix the ground oats with a few tablespoons of raw honey and a little milk. The paste should have a thick consistency.
- Spread the mixture over your lips, lie back and let the oatmeal remedy soothe your burned lips for 10-15 minutes.
- Rinse off with cool water and repeat 2-3 times a day.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a surprising home remedy for healing sunburned mouth and burn wounds. Raw potatoes contain many medicinal properties that help to take the heat out of burns.
The benefits of using potatoes on minor burns were reported in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies. Researchers reported that raw potato is an effective natural remedy for first-degree burns. The potato helps to reduce pain and inflammation from areas of the skin exposed to excessive heat.
Directions of use
- Use slices of raw potato as a first-aid measure for sunburned lips. This is what you should do:
- Thoroughly wash a potato and cut into thin slices (you don’t need to peel the potato).
- Apply the slices to the sore areas of your lips that have a sunburn.
- Leave on for 15 minutes, remove for 5 minutes, then replace with a fresh slice of raw potato for 15 more minutes.
- Do this daily until you no longer feel the effects of sunburn on your lips.
Cucumber
Cucumber is another food that has medicinal and soothing properties to accelerate wound healing. Just as with using potatoes to heal wounds, cucumber slices are a quick and effective home remedy for sunburned lips. The reason is cucumbers have a high moisture content, they can also help to soothe and moisturize sore lips.
Although taking a slice of cucumber from the refrigerator and placing on a sunburn has an instant cooling effect, cucumber also has healing properties. A study from 2013 found that the flesh from cucumber has a soothing effect on skin irritations and reduces swelling. Cucumber also alleviates sunburn pain.
Directions of use
In order to utilize cucumber to quickly get rid of the pain from sunburned lips, carry out the following procedure:
- Take a cucumber from the refrigerator and cut into thin slices.
- Lay the slices on your lips until they become warm.
- Replace with fresh cucumber slices to help take the heat out of the burned lips.
- Repeat 2-3 times a day or use whenever you need instant relief from discomfort caused by sunburned mouth.
Turmeric
This is a very volatile herb that finds a lot of use in medicine where inflammation and swelling are some. A paste made from turmeric can also help to alleviate sunburn pain and speed up the healing process.
From clinical studies, turmeric has proven to have a key role in the healing of sunburn wounds. The Journal of Molecular Histology reported that a turmeric paste on burn wounds helps to heal damaged and burned skin quicker. Curcumin, which is the main component of turmeric, quickly reduced inflammation, boosted collagen production, and caused accelerated wound healing.
Directions of use
Make a simple and easy paste with turmeric and aloe vera or coconut oil to apply to your sunburned lips by doing the following:
- Mix together equal amounts of turmeric powder and aloe vera gel (or coconut oil).
- Apply to the blisters and sunburned areas of your lips and leave for 30 minutes.
- Rinse off with cool water.
- Apply the turmeric remedy 2 times a day to your lips to get rid of itchiness, swelling, and other symptoms of sunburn.
Alternatively, you can use honey instead of the aloe vera/coconut oil to improve the taste of the turmeric sunburn remedy.
Aloe vera
This is one of the most beneficial home remedies that is used for so many conditions. Various doctors recommend it for many health conditions. The plant product can be very beneficial in helping the healing of skin blisters because of the many enzymes and vitamins that it has. All these can help to boost the skin health. It also has a cooling effect on the skin, especially if you keep the aloe vera gel in the refrigerator.
Revealed from various clinical studies, the anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera have proven to be just as beneficial just like hydrocortisone creams in treating burns and skin wounds. Hydrocortisone creams are manufactured medications that are sometimes recommended to reduce swelling and sunburn pain.
Directions of use:
In order to benefit and fully recover from sunburned lips and get relief from the pain caused by burns and blisters on your lips, the procedure below is very key:
- Apply pure aloe vera gel directly to your sunburned lips to ease the sunburn pain.
- Repeat the process about two to three times a day to promote healing.
To help speed up the healing process, you can add some witch hazel to aloe vera. Witch hazel is a natural antiseptic with astringent properties. In fact, witch hazel is often added to after sun treatments to help sunburn heal quicker.
Banana
Banana has a lot of benefits to heal the burn. It contains a large number of vitamins and minerals that provide benefits to the skin. It also hydrates the lip skin and keeps your lips soft. Apart from that, it contains calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and all these help to regenerate the skin tissue. It reduces the redness and inflammation that caused by the sun rays.
What is required and Directions of use:
You just need a small bowl, a half piece of ripe banana, and a fork. Take the banana and make it paste with the fork. Now apply it on your lips in a thick layer. Leave it for 5-10 minutes to heal your lips.
Watermelon
Watermelon is one of the favorite fruits of summer. It not only gives you relief from thirst but also helps to soothe the sunburned lips. It cools down the burn, elevates the inflammation, and restores lip’s natural color.
Directions of use:
- Just take watermelon and make juice from it in a glass or ceramic bowl.
- Dip your fingers in it and dab on your lips to wet.
- Do it several times a day with a few hours interval.
What to put on sunburned lips
The use of lip balm for sunburned lips is not recommended because most of the conventional lotions and lips balms contain toxic chemicals like synthetic fragrances, parabens and artificial dyes that may irritate the lips. You could consider making your own product to use on the lips. Coconut oil is one of those possible important components.
Keeping your lips moisturized will help your body to heal and prevent them from cracking and bleeding in case of severe sunburn. Conventional lip balm may hurt your lips even more. Apply moisturizer of choice as needed or whenever lips are dry throughout the day and before going to bed at night. Do not apply a thick coat, a thin layer is all that’s needed for your sunburned lips.
Treatment
Ibuprofen
This is an anti-inflammatory medication and it can save you the swelling and the pain that comes with the sunburn on your lips.
Aquaphor
This will help your lips to remain moisturized and heal within a very short period of time. it relatively affordable and effective.
Hydrocortisone cream
It should be applied twice a day. It is just like any other over the counter medications that are available. It helps to reduce inflammation and the pain from the sunburn.
How long it takes for sunburnt lip to heal
The length of time sunburned lips take to heal depends on the damage the sun has caused. According to reports from the National Health Service, mild to moderate sunburn on lips should fully heal within a week. However, if your lips are severely sunburned with blisters, they may take longer to heal.
References and Sources
- http://heydoctor.org/sunburned-lips.html
- http://facecaretalks.com/best-home-remedies-for-sunburned-lips/
