Daughter Licks Her Lips

Hi Ann~
My 5 1/2 year old son has done this for the last two winters. I have used A&D ointment. This really helps clear up the reddness and chapping. It also doesn't taste the best, so it stops him from licking more. We put it on at bedtime and in the am and it works wonders overnight. Hope this helps.

T.

Try getting her her own chapstick in a fun flavor or with a favorite character on it. Then it'll be "her's" and she can carry it in her pocket and put it on through out the day.

Ann, Both my kids have that as I write! And they feel the same way about carmex! I always really liked Carmex, but I guess I was much older.... Anyway, we do straight up chapstick. It does the job of healing and protecting. I like it better than vaseline because it isn't so goopy and doesn't wipe off easily. Good luck!

I saw one other person mentioned Arbonne products--they also have a great skin conditioning oil that works really well on lips and around the lips. I HIGHLY recommend it. I use it on the whole family--mostly on our hands and on the girls' faces. It's very reasonably priced and just a drop goes a long way.

My daughter does this also (and she's almost 6! so I hope yours outgrows it faster!) from time to time and it helps when we keep reminding her how much it's going to hurt when we see her start doing it...

My 3 year old son is doing this too! It looks so sore. I used to swear by Carmex, but after becoming a consultant for BeautiControl I've learned a lot and will not use it. It's meant to be used short term on cold sores, to dry them out and help heal. It explains why you see Carmex people constantly applying it. They need to keep it on them. That was me for years! The Carmex is medicated to feel soothing, but that same feeling to a child is probably obnoxious.

I also have decided I won't use petroleum products, especially where they can ingest it. Vaseline is a great protectant, but I don't like the potential risks.

I'm now using a Melaleuca product on him since I'm a customer and use it on myself with great success. It protects great and actually softens and heals. It healed him SO quickly and he likes it. He does lick a little at it since it is mildly flavored, but enough seems to stay on that it does it's thing. I would suggest trying a Burt's Bees product or something else more natural. Putting it on before she goes outside and before bed helps protect and heal the most.

Good luck!

Carmex has fiberglass fibers in it that actually make the chapping worse and you feel like you need to reapply.
I use bag balm from Walgreens. It comes in a can that is a 3 inch cube and green. One can will last more than 5 yrs. It is great for chapped hands, lips, feet, burns and diaper rash. Use only a little bit it doesn't cause that burning feeling that other dry skin treatments does but really works.

Try Burt's Bees or Aquaphor. My 2 1/2 year old daughter likes both.

Lanolin or Johnson's Soothing Naturals Sooth & Protect Balm have worked for our family. :)

Thanks for posting this request! My 5 1/2 year old is in the habit of licking and playing with her lips right now and it's really bugging me and causing her to have really soar, red lips. We'll be stopping at the store tomorrow on the way to church to pick up some chapstick for her.

Hi there
I have recently had the same issue with my 2 1/2 year old. I discovered Boudreuax's Baby Kisses at Target (they make the Butt Paste that everyone is so fond of) and so far it seems to be working great! I don't know if it burns or not but haven't heard any complaints yet, so it must work!
Good Luck!

most kids for one reason or other will lick their lips some will only do it when they have a runny nose.others will doit out of habit or a dry enviroment. you could try to give her a tube of chapstick original not flavored and let her put it on herself.

I wonder if she is licking her lips because they feel dry. When mine start to become chapped I have the urge to lick them or put something on them as well, but that does make them worse. The thing about Carmex and many other brands is that they contain alcohol which can make your lips burn and dry them out so you need to use more of the product. I am a firm believer in, and have used since I was little, Mary Kay products. They have a lip balm that works great, but I LOVE using the Extra Emollient Night Cream! It is very greasy, but it heals up dryness anywhere like magic! I often put in on my lips or any other dry spot (esp. my hands) at bedtime and by morning I am feeling much better. My kids and husband love it too. I hope this helps!
Trish
www.marykay.com/trishacasey

I know you've gotten alot of resonses already, so sorry if I repeat.

Vaseline is one of the worst things you could give her right now. It contains petrolateum, or mineral oil. That stops moisture from getting onto her lips, but also does not allow her body to create the moisture itself. It has the appearance of it helping because when she licks THAT moisture doens't get in, but you're just covering up the problem not correcting it.

Two great products to try. First is Arbonne's lip Saver ($8 retail). It's great, not a strong smell, and doesn't ahve that burning effect like Carmex. You have to find a consultant who sells it, or can order it for you though. I LOVE this product...and have them all over the house for family to use. Let me know if you'd like to try it. A close second would be Burt's Bee products. Those you can find most anywhere (Target, etc). Hope this helps...and PLEASE stop putting vaseline on her lips, you're only prolonging the problem!

Try lanolin, you'll find it at drug stores, target with
baby products. Nursing mom use it sore breast tissue.
It does smell a little funny, so at night is a good idea.
It's also great for cracked skin like hands from over washing and exposed skin like cheeks from the cold.
Its natural, no petrolium products.

My daughter does the same thing. We use Gerber Moisture stick on her lips, it doesn't hurt and really helps to keep her lips from getting chapped and sore.

Mustela brand stuff works wonders on dry skin. They also have something for faces/lips. My kids have very sensitive skin and they've done great with it. It has never burned them. It works great on babies overall so, with having a newborn during the wtr months it would be great for bitty faces. My SIL usually gets them at a discount at her hair salon but I've seen it at Babies R us and other places (but possibly not at convenient stores). It can be a bit on the pricey side but in my opinion - it's well worth it AND it lasts for a long time. The face stick that I love best - looks like a deodorant stick.

I have to agree with your daughter, Carmex burns my lips too, I can't use it. I'd put chapstick on her, she'll love putting it on herself.

http://www.thedoctorstv.com/
had an episode just a couple days ago on dry skin.
I would recommend checking that out....but vaseline works great, esp. at night when they are breathing so much through their little mouths.
good luck.

Carmex burns my lips too, so now I only use Burt's Bees chapstick. It's very soothing and my lips feel better within a few hours. It's at least double the price of Carmex, but so worth it.

I see only one other person mentioned the Mary Kay Extra Emoillent Night Cream. My mom swore by this when I was growing up and I bought a tube of it for myself. Its a super thick pink cream. I would get little cracks in my skin behind my ears and behind my toes and putting it on at night would have them feeling TONS better and almost healed by morning.

My son does this too (he's 6) and he won't let me put anything on them. He says his lips don't hurt, but you can see they are cracked and all, it must be at the least uncomfortable. I have been putting Eucerin creme around his lips after he falls asleep at night, so it saturates throughout the night.

Both my daughters went through this. The dr. said use chapstick,the one with the black label during the day, and then apply hydrocortisone to the red area above her lips after she falls asleep. Worked great.

I haven't seen anyone mention Lipsaver from Arbonne. My teenage daughter was going through chapstick like its going out of style, until I became an Arbonne consultant a few months ago. I ordered the lipsaver Sunscreen and it has been awesome! Not only does she feel better but her lips are now moisturized and healthy. It has only pure ingredients like Chamomile and linden extracts so its good for her lips as well. Email me if you would like to try it.

Try the lanolin used for breastfeeding. I use that on my own lips, it stays on, is safe if ingested and meant to sooth/heal craked painful tissue.

Hi,
I recently heard that using Carmex will only make the need for that type of product greater. Try Vaseline, as often as she will let you. Good luck.
L.

I've found that Lanolin cream really works great. My daughter does the same thing and I thought I would give it a try and it really works great. I has no real flavor to it and doesn't burn either with it a little goes a long way. Hope it works for you like it did us!

I actually ended up having to take my daughter to the doctor for a problem like this because her lips got so bad. The doctor recommended mixing hydrocortisone ointment (not cream) with vaseline and smearing it thickly on her lips. It works really well. I use it whenever my daughter's lips begin to chap, and it's very soothing for her. It stops the itch.

I would try Burt's Bees or another "natural" lip balm that doesn't have petroleum jelly. Stuff like Vaseline and Carmex don't get to the root of the problem of her licking her lips--dryness--they just put a film over the lips.

Aloe Vera gel might work.

If you can find 100% Shea or Cocoa Butter, that is the greatest. The co-ops sell it in big chunks in the bulk section. You would only need to break off a tiny piece, like think of 3 or 4 pair of dice, and that would last for a good month, if not longer.

I would watch to see if there is a cold sore developing. Also, the redness may be a sign that the area has some infection. Blistex makes a medicated cream lip balm that would be good for either scenario. I have used it in the past, and I didn't get the "Carmex" sensation, so maybe she would like it.

Chapstick is the only thing that has religiously worked for my kids. I also have used it on severe cases of "sore rear" (be sure to mark that one with a big X).

Aquaphor! It looks like vaseline but is much much better. Put it on her lips and above her mouth during the day, but also, go into her room once she's asleep and reapply it. When I did that my boys' lips would be almost healed by morning.

Within two days they would be completely healed.

(By the way, I'm pretty sure that stuff about Carmex being addicting is an urban myth. If Carmex works for you, then go for it.)

Be careful what you use because some products have phenol. I use Melaleuca products but if you are not a customer try something from Burtsbees, I heard they are pretty good. You need something soothing with little flavor.
Good luck,
S.

Use Aquaphor or Burt's Bees and AVOID Carmex. Unless someone has a cold sore, Carmex is not the best. It will actually dry out lips more, and that is the opposite of what you want.

Burt's Bees is the best chapstick I have found.

Ann,

I have found vaseline to be the best thing because it blocks moisture. And carmex probably is burning her lips, use the vaseline mostly at night while she is sleeping so she can't wipe it off. Put it under her lips also she is probably getting that third lip look. Don't forget to put it on her if she goes outside too.

Keep trying it will work, night time will help it heal while she is sleeping.

J. M.
sendoneaday.com and make them smile

My 4 1/2 year old does it when he's nervous (which might be something else to consider, as well)--and while I can't do much about it, it does seem to help to be aware of what makes him a little stressed. Anyway--we couldn't put anything on it that had scent in it, so we vaseline his whole lower face every night. My kids both get chapped faces pretty easily, and we're way up north, so just being outside for 5 minutes is sometimes enough to do it. He actually enjoys putting it on and gets alarmed when we forget! But vaseline has helped tremendously. Oh--I've also used facial moisturizer--like the stuff I use on my face--when I want something less greasy (I do vaseline at night).

I highly recommend Emu oil. You can get it at local health stores and/or on line. It is a great product that can be used on most any body part without worry. We simply cannot do without it in our house during the winter months.

Hi Ann,
A cool-mist humidifier works wonders for my son. I have one on his dresser, a few feet from his bed. I turn it on whenever he sleeps. Besides that I put Vasoline on his lips at bedtime. No more problems!
Good luck!

My daught did the same thing. However, I use lots of lip gloss (in the am when I get up and before bed religiously). She now calls it her "makeup" and uses it like a big girl. What we use is from Avon and you can get on sale for .79 and I buy several at a time as they keep well. The product is called Dew Kiss and it's even in a pink container or cover....perfect for little girls. It doesn't give off any color and even my hubby has used it. It's cheap and it's been on the market since my mom used to sell Avon over 25 years ago!!! Obviously proven. Also, it's not addicting like Carmex can be.

Aquaphor, works on everything!

During the winter time it is so dry we sometimes don't realize how dehydrated we can get. So push those fluids in a non-pushy way! Vasoline is a petroleum based product so I would not use it on her lips. Carmex does sting but it's a great product. Try using a Burts Bee's chapstick (not the shimmers, they are a little tingly). Borders and Campbells nutrition both carry it. Make a big deal out of the fact that she is getting special little girl chapstick that won't hurt her and let her pick it out.
Kristen is so right I forgot about the Melaleuca chapstick it works great too

Carmex does work awesome! i use it in the winter because my lips get horrible. but dead serious, after putting it on once, my lips feel like they are already getting better.
I had the red lips thing when i was a child too. my mom (the sneaky thing) would come into my room while i was sleeping and liberally put it on my lips then. now that i think of it. that's what she had to do for cutting my fingernails. but I would maybe try that. if she wakes up, you can just try again or try something else.
Hope that helps!

Don't use carmex - it is "addictive" to lips.
Burt's bees honey stick is all natural and has done the trick for my kids and is safe if they lick and ingest it. I even rub it around their nostrils when they have colds and the skin gets raw.

Maybe try the flavored carmex. I did the same thing to my mom when I was little that my whole lips on the outside would be red and crack. It sure does hurt. You might want to check with her Dr. to see if there is an ointment for her possibly. Good luck.

This must be a three-year-old thing as my son is doing it too!

Get a good beeswax based lip balm and apply it liberally at night before bed. Whatever you do, do not use carmex or chapstick (the medicated one might be okay for used during the day) these two products actually have a DRYING agent in them so that you have to keep reapplying them. Get rid of the carmex immediately - it is for drying out cold sores - not soothing chapped lips!

I agree I too swear by Carmex. I love to buy the tasty chapsticks but for chapped and cracked lips they just don't do the trick they are usually to waxy. They have two really good flavors of Carmex now (Cherry & Strawberry) so my daughter doesn't mind it as much with those. It has this weird cold sensation but that just means its working. Its also good to put under their nose if it gets chapped from a runny nose. I also used it on myself the other week I had two spots on my cheeks that were really dry so I put that one and it cleared it up within in a day. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

chapstick works great

I swear by Carmex. My daughter does it too. I have also tried and had success with some Mary Kay creme. Its a night something, but I can't remember what its called.

I have Carmex all over the house. My daughter (shes 7) has some in her back pack and even in her desk at school. Its in the bathroom, the kitchen and the TV room. I try to make her keep it on at all times.

I used to make mine SO bad when I was little my Dad used to threaten me with putting dog poop on them to get me to stop!