Why do my lips feel gritty

Until the next time. So what are these annoying little spots? According to the Internet, they could be bacteria from the mouth of my refillable water bottle gross , or signs that I desperately need to eat even more kale , or an omen of my imminent demise thanks, alarmists out there! Save these ideas for later—and follow Allure on Pinterest!

As anyone who's ever embarked on the quest for a lipstick that will last through lunch can tell you, being a human who consumes food and beverages causes lip products to wear off faster than the rest of your makeup.

Throw in the fact that some of the things we eat and drink can break down sunscreen , making sun exposure around the mouth even worse—and that many of us skimp on sunscreen coverage as we get close to our lips because zinc oxide is no one's favorite flavor—and you've got a domino effect that leaves the outer edges of our mouths especially vulnerable.

Go for the bottom-shelf, cheap stuff. I like plain Crest. Even the toothpaste for sensitive teeth can have strong flavors. The best way to avoid the drying effect of toothpaste is to stay with the basic kind.

So, how do you know if your toothpaste is causing the problem? Your lips might feel chapped, irritated, cracked, or especially sticky after you brush your teeth. Sometimes your lips are just uncomfortable after your daily brushings. Some patients, particularly African-Americans, experience hyper-pigmentation when their lips turn lighter or darker in reaction to the product.

These pigmentary changes come from sensitivity to the product. For people who regularly chew gums, use lozenges, or eat hot peppers, pay attention to your lips afterward.

You may also feel a change in your lips when you take certain medications. Oral antibiotics like Isotretinoin will quickly zap your lips of any moisture. And as the weather changes to a cold and drier season, expect to see a change in your skin moisture levels too.

One of our instinctual habits can make it significantly worse — lip licking. It usually appears as very chapped lips, then may turn white or scaly. AC may be painless, but it can lead to squamous cell carcinoma if left untreated. Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer. You should see a doctor if you notice this type of patch on your lip.

AC most often appears in people over 40 and is more common in men than women. People who spend a lot of time in the sun are most likely to develop AC. The first symptom of AC is usually dry, cracking lips.

You might then develop either a red and swollen or white patch on your lip. This will almost always be on the lower lip. In more advanced AC, the patches might look scaly and feel like sandpaper. You might also notice that the line between your lower lip and skin becomes less clear.

These discolored or scaly patches of skin are almost always painless. AC is caused by long-term sun exposure. For most people, it takes years of intense sun exposure to cause AC. People who spend a lot of time outside, such as landscapers, fishermen, or professional outdoor athletes, are most likely to develop AC. People with lighter skin tones are also more likely to develop AC, especially those who live in sunny climates.

If you burn or freckle easily in the sun, or have a history of skin cancer, you might also be more likely to develop AC. AC most often affects people over 40 and more commonly appears in men.

People with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of developing AC. Albinism can also increase the risk for AC.