Body Boosters: Preventing chapped lips

Whether you prefer lipstick, lip gloss, or nothing at all, our lips are key to our appearance.

While we are conditioned to use sunscreen on the rest of our skin, we often forget to protect our lips. Cancer can form there too, especially in men who smoke or work outside. Use products with SPF15 or higher.

Lips have no oil glands, so add moisture and choose a sun protective balm. These days lip products are adding vitamins that penetrate the skin. Some lickable supplements have resveratrol.

But it's best to not lick your lips, because saliva is drying. So are acne and anti-aging treatments like retinols or benzoyl peroxide. Avoid your lips when applying products to your face!

Plumpers boost fullness, but they can irritate, since they contain ingredients like menthol, wintergreen, and capsaicin, which is made of chili peppers. Some contain traces of phenols, a chemical used in peels.

At night, all you might need to pamper your lips is a dab of petroleum jelly.

Any problems, always ask your dermatologist when you're getting your yearly exam.