Severly Dry Lips - HELP!

[Ali Taylor]

Hi Everyone,  I am new to the whole30 plan having just started it on January 2nd with my husband and brother in law.  We are loving it!  I cut out all of the stuff we aren't supposed to have, which was pretty easy considering we were eating mostly clean anyway.  We weren't big fast food people but we do love our dairy and wine/bourbon.  I have noticed over the last week that my lips are severely dry, to the point that they are cracking.  I am drinking nothing but water and plenty of it, at least 120 oz or more a day and nothing seems to help.  They are worse in the morning when I wake up.  Has anyone else had this happen and if so what did you do to help it?  I do not generally get dry lips as I live in Central Texas and this is starting to concern me. 

 

Thank you! 

[Sarah Bambling]

How is your fat intake? I know that can affect your skin, if its not enough, ie make it dry.

[Ali Taylor]

I try and eat some sort of fat at each meal. Avacados for breakfast, and either coconut oil for cooking and/or ghee on the actual meal.  I have cut out other bad fats that I used to eat on a daily basis.  Do you think my body is trying to acclimate to the new good fats being introduced? 

[shadowgirlC]

I'm in Houston and my face and lips were horribly dry last weekend. I thought it was because of the cold front we has, but now I'm wondering if it had something to do with my whole30 as well....

Anyways, I started eating a spoonful of coconut oil before bed and that seemed to help. Or maybe it's because it's warm and humid again, lol

[Ali Taylor]

I am so glad it's not just me! Lol. I will try the coconut oil. I bet that is helping  Thank you! 

[LK Labuda]

I'm 13 days into my first Whole30 and my lips actually started peeling.  I was biting skin off my lips for the first time ever. I'm a big lipstick user so my lips are never dry, accept for now.  

[ShannonM816]

1 hour ago, LK Labuda said:

I'm 13 days into my first Whole30 and my lips actually started peeling.  I was biting skin off my lips for the first time ever. I'm a big lipstick user so my lips are never dry, accept for now.  

As mentioned above, not getting enough fat could cause this, as could not getting enough water, so those are the first two things to look at. For water, aim for at least 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight, so a 120 lb person needs at least 60 oz. For fat, include one to two thumb size portions of oil, dressing, or mayo, or a half to a whole avocados, or a heaping handful or two of olives or coconut flakes with each meal. Usually add some in addition to the oil you cook in, since that often stays in the pan and isn't actually consumed.

 

[SugarcubeOD]

Realistically, it's winter all over the place which usually brings with it dry skin and chapped lips.  It's possible that eating more fat could help, but it's also possible that you need to invest in a good lip moisturizer to get through the rest of winter.

[caitpage]

I have had dry cracking lips my whole adult life no matter how much water I drink and how many avocados I can slam down in a day.

I went to the dentist (a new one) last week and he commented on my dry lips and told me to get "the most hippy toothpaste available" because the SLS in most toothpaste might be causing my dryness.

I've only been using my new toothpaste (Tom's SLS/flouride free) for a week so I can't say whether my lips are better, but we'll see. 

It only STARTS with food, right?  

[LK Labuda]

Thank you Shannon...you were right.  I started replacing my lunch time salad and vinaigrette dressing with tomatoes and salt or just eating sweet peppers and calling that my salad. (Got lazy)  I also gave avocados a break.  So when I added my vinaigrette and avocados back to my day I could see the improvement.   And then it happened again so i have to be mindful to keep the healthy oils in my diet.   So many years of conditioning myself to think fat was bad.