If you have very sore cracked lips, then you will no doubt be wondering what you can do to relieve the pain.
First of all, it is important to understand just what is likely to be causing this problem.
Particularly if it is something your are prone to regularly.
Many people believe that very sore cracked lips are caused by either hot or cold weather, or by the virus in a cold or flu.
None of these are true, although the condition can be worsened by extremes of weather and having a lowered immune system.
There can be a number of root causes for this condition.
Sometimes it is caused by moisture collecting on the outside of the mouth due to regular dribbling or drooling due to badly fitting dentures or finger/pen chewing.
This can lead to the skin becoming very damp and a bacterial or fungal infection settling there which can be extremely difficult to eradicate.
Another common cause is a deficiency of the B group of vitamins, along with iron.
When the very sore cracked lips have persisted for more than a day or two, this is a sign that the condition has indeed become bacterial or fungal and although topical creams and lotions available from a pharmacy might give some symptomatic relief, they will not cure the underlying cause, meaning that repeated, painful outbreaks are inevitable.
When bacteria or fungal infection has indeed taken hold, the condition is known as angular cheilitis.
The only true way to eliminate these types of infection is to prevent moisture and air reaching the affected areas.