Summary

Dry lips and dry skin around the mouth may begin with nutritional deficiencies of riboflavin (vitamin B₂) or even iron or zinc deficiencies.  Once the process starts, especially in children, licking the lips for relief worsens the condition.  As the dryness or chapping occurs there is then the possibility of a fungal or bacterial infection.  When this occurs the conditions escalates from common chapped lips to angular cheilitis.

[search help: angular cheilosis, angular chelosis, angular chelitis, perleche, angular stomatitis, chapped lips, dry lips, cracked lips]

Oils, blends & products recommended:

Oils & Blends: Frankincense, lavender

Essential oils based products: Life Long Vitality supplements

Also consider: melaleuca, sandalwood

Suggested protocols:

Healing blend for chapped lips:

·   15 drops frankincense

·   15 drops lavender

·   1 tablespoon of carrier oil

Add to a roller bottle and apply frequently to the affected area.

Also review diet for deficiencies in vitamin B, iron and zinc.  Consider nutritional supplements such as the Life Long Vitality supplements.  And drink lots of water.

Experiences and Testimonials of others

Samara - My friend has very dried cracked lips.  (angular cheilotis).  From what she has read and researched, she believes it is because of a bacterial or fungal infection.  My first thought is Oregano, Melaleuca and Lemon, but I worry that it would be very painful to apply topically.  Should I suggest for her to take it in capsules or to dilute it and apply topically?  Or does someone who has experience with this have a better idea about the oils?

Pat – The oils you suggested are right on but I suggest she should take it internally twice a day for two weeks. 5 drops each of lemon and melaleuca and 4 drops of oregano in a capsule. It would be good to take the capsules with food.  Another help would be for her to strengthen her digestive system with something like the doTerra ProBiotic routine.

Kathy - I might sound like a broken record, But whatever I used I would combine it with VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil)  It is very anti-bacterial and anti-fungal in and of itself.  Combined with melaleuca, lemon, sandalwood or lavender it would be powerful.  I would apply this directly and keep it on the lips all day.  I really like the advice of the internal applications mentioned as well.

Protocols folks recommend for children

Rob - Our 10 year old son had started licking his lower lip often.  This caused it to become chapped and red.  First we gave him a small tube of chap-stick and told him to use it often.  In a couple days it was worse not only were his lips chapped but redness and inflammation had traveled below his lip toward his chin, and above his lip, making an almost red moustache. The lower area was so chapped that it had begun to crack and began to show open sores.

We decided we needed to use oils. We warned our son that lavender would make it feel better but because he had open sores, the cool lavender might sting a little at first as it began to kill bacteria.  Mom put a small amount of lavender on the sore lips and he reacted to the pain with a little crying then mom quickly added some coconut oil to try to dilute the lavender a bit.  He stopped crying and said; “oh, that feels better”.

We then added a few drops of frankincense and repeated this every couple of hours.  After the second application healing was showing and by the next day it was almost completely normal again.

Diet and Nutritional complements to essential oils

What Science & Research are saying