“I think that’s something people forget,” says Dr. Allison Darland, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Michigan Medicine. “Your lips can absolutely get sunburned, and a lot of times people ignore the lips when they’re thinking of sun protection.” Even if you remember to apply an SPF to your lips when you first go out in the sun, it’s easy to forget that you need to keep reapplying it, she adds. Anyone with any skin tone can get sunburned, including on their lips, but people with lighter skin complexions are more at risk. So, what should you look for in a lip balm with SFP? And if your lips do get a sunburn, how can you treat it? We asked dermatologists to answer all our burning questions about sunburned lips.
Why do your lips get sunburned?
All skin is at risk for sunburn if you spend too much time out in the sun without wearing sunscreen. But your lips may be especially vulnerable, says Dr. Jennifer Lucas, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic. “The tissue of the lip is thin with less melanin than the remainder of your skin,” she explains. Melanin can protect the skin from UV rays. And when you lick your lips, eat, or drink, it keeps your lips moist and removes any sun protection that’s been applied—increasing the risk of sunburn. “The bottom lip is most at risk for burning, as it protrudes out from the face and catches more direct sunshine,” Lucas says.
How do you know if your lips are sunburned?
Sunburns turn the skin bright red. But since your lips are already pink or red, it may be tough to tell that they’re sunburned just by looking at them. “Extra redness, pain, discomfort, peeling or blistering are all signs that you may have sunburned lips,” Darland says. “It can be very painful.” Pain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain, depending on how badly your lips are sunburned. Along with redness and pain, you may also have these symptoms:
SwellingTendernessBlisteringPeeling
Sunburns typically last three to five days.
How to keep your lips from getting sunburned
Every time you go out in the sun (or really every day), you should wear a lip balm with broad-spectrum coverage and an SPF 30 or greater, Lucas says. “You need to reapply the sunscreen and lip balm frequently, especially if you lick the lips a lot or if they get wet from eating, drinking, or even being in the pool,” she adds. For sensitive skin types, Lucas recommends mineral-based sun protection containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Lip balms made from natural ingredients with fewer additives are another great option because they won’t irritate your lips, Darland says. She recommends Vanicream and Aquaphor brands of lip protectant and sunscreen, which are both SPF 30. Wearing protective lip balm shields your lips from sunburn, but it also prevents the long-term effects of sun exposure. Recurring sun damage can cause the skin to look dry, wrinkled, discolored, and leathery, according to Cleveland Clinic. Sun damage weakens the skin and increases your risk for skin cancer, too.
What to put on sunburned lips
The best way to protect your lips is to prevent sunburns from happening in the first place. But chances are, you’ll get a sunburn here and there, and if you do, there are several ways to treat it. “Prevention is worth a ton of cure,” Lucas says. “However, if your lips get burned, you can speed up the healing with a combination of things.” Here are some ways to treat sunburned lips:
Use a cold compress to minimize swelling and discomfortApply over-the-counter hydrocortisone to help with redness and swellingTry nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen, for painKeep the lips moisturized with aloe or a thicker cream
“At the initial onset of the burn, the ointments may be less comfortable, as they may hold in heat, but they keep the lips lubricated as they heal to minimize peeling and cracking,” Lucas explains. The American Academy of Dermatology also recommends drinking extra water to prevent dehydration when you’re sunburned. And, take special care when going out in the sun until the sunburn heals by wearing an SPF lip balm. If your lips are severely sunburned and these at-home treatments aren’t helping, Darland suggests making an appointment with your dermatologist, who can prescribe a topical steroid to help you heal faster. Next, read about the best sunscreens of 2022, the history of sunscreen, and find out if sunscreen prevents tanning.
Sources
Dr. Allison Darland, MD, assistant professor of dermatology, Michigan MedicineDr. Jennifer Lucas, MD, dermatologist, Cleveland ClinicAmerican Academy of Dermatology:How to Treat SunburnCleveland Clinic:Sun Damage: Protecting YourselfCleveland Clinic:5 Places You’re Probably Forgetting to Put Sunscreen
