Winter arrives, many people start dealing with dry, painful, and cracked lips. While cold weather is often blamed, doctors say chapped lips are not always caused by dry air or not drinking enough water. In many cases, the real reason lies inside the body, especially vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Frequent chapped lips can become more than just a seasonal discomfort. Cracks, irritation, and even open wounds can affect daily comfort, speech, and oral health if left untreated.
It’s Not Always Just the Weather
Health experts explain that cold air and low humidity do dry out the skin, but some people experience severe or repeated lip cracking despite using lip balms. This is often a sign that the body is lacking essential nutrients that keep the skin healthy and strong.
During winter, skin becomes more sensitive, and any existing nutritional deficiency can worsen dryness and slow healing.
Role of Vitamin B Complex
Doctors highlight vitamin B complex as a major factor in lip health. Deficiency of vitamins B2 (riboflavin), B3, B6, and especially B12 can cause dryness, cracking, and sores at the corners of the lips — a condition known as angular cheilitis.
According to dermatologist Dr Asha Saklani from Uttarakhand, vitamin B12 deficiency often leads to dry lips and cracked skin around the mouth. She explains that vitamin B12 plays a key role in red blood cell formation. When levels are low, people may also experience anaemia, numbness, tingling sensations, fatigue, and even memory problems.
Vitamin C deficiency can also weaken the skin, making lips more likely to crack and bleed during colder months.
Iron and Zinc Deficiency Increase Risk
Iron and zinc are essential for skin repair and healing. Doctors say a lack of these minerals can cause lips to crack repeatedly and heal slowly. Women, people with low immunity, and those with poor dietary intake are especially at risk.
Zinc deficiency may also weaken the immune system, increasing the chances of infections around the mouth.
Diet Plays a Key Role
Health professionals stress that a balanced diet is one of the best ways to prevent winter chapped lips. Foods such as milk, yoghurt, eggs, pulses, green leafy vegetables, malt, quinoa, and lemon help meet vitamin needs. Meat, liver, chickpeas, and dry fruits are good sources of iron and zinc.
Treatment and Prevention Tips
Doctors recommend using vitamin B complex supplements only after consulting a medical professional. Applying lip balm or petroleum jelly several times a day helps protect the lips from moisture loss.
