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Sun protection is important for every part of your body – not just the areas people traditionally try to sun tan. This includes often-neglected areas like your eyelids, scalp, and even your lips.
In this post, we’re talking about lip sunburns. Honestly, they’re pretty common, but most of us don’t have any SPF lip product in our routine to prevent sun damage. And more times than not, people don’t even think about protecting their lips until they’ve already got a burn.
Not only are lip sunburns painful and unsightly, but they can also increase your risk of developing skin cancer.
To help, I am sharing a roundup of tips to help you heal your sunburned lips quickly. And, most importantly, I’m also giving you a list of my favourite SPF lip balms to keep you protected in the future.
What to put on sunburned lips to heal quickly
If you’ve never experienced sunburned lips, you may be surprised to hear that it happens. I’ll break down how and why it occurs below.
Here’s what you should know about lip sunburns.
Can lips get sunburned?
Yes. In fact, lips get sunburned more easily than other skin since they’re thinner and have less melanin in them. On top of that, lips don’t have the same sweat and oil glands that the rest of the body does. As a result, this means quicker moisture loss and very little natural protection.
Anytime you’re getting sun exposure, you should be mindful of sunburn on the lips. These burns can be painful and cause dryness, redness, swelling, and even blistering.
If there’s enough sun damage, burns on the lips include chronic chapping, discoloration, and thinning of the skin. It sounds severe because it is. UV rays have damaged your cells and they are attempting to repair themselves or undergo cell death.
Luckily, just as you protect any other part of your skin from UV rays, prevention is easy. You just need the right tools and a quick extra step in your routine.
How do lips get sunburned?
- Lip skin is thinner and has less pigment
- UV rays can damage lips like any other skin
- Lips naturally contain more blood vessels and nerve endings, increasing sensitivity
- Most people overlook their lips when applying sunscreen
- Lips are rarely, if ever, covered by clothing
- Not all lip products have SPF
- Lips lack oil glands, making them vulnerable to dryness
- Lips often stick out from your face and are easily in the sun, a bit like the ears and nose
- Sport or sunbathing can cause sunburned lips
What do sunburned lips look like?
- Redness or darker pigment
- Swelling and puffiness
- Dry, cracked skin
- Peeling or flaking skin
- Blistering
- Tightened and stretched appearance
- If you experience cold sores, a sunburn can trigger an outbreak
How to heal sunburned lips
Moisturise gently with aloe vera
Once the burn cools down a little, apply aloe vera gel or aloe vera lip balm. It’s a favourite product for treating sunburns, and for good reasons. It works.
It’s naturally cooling and anti-inflammatory, which reduces pain and swelling. It also helps hydrate the skin and speed up healing. If you’re wondering if the same rules apply for treating other sunburns with aloe, read over my post, “Does aloe vera gel clog pores?”
Drink plenty of water
Hydration starts from within. To help your lips heal more quickly, drink plenty of water and consume electrolytes. Essentially, to support your outside, you have to hydrate your inside.
Sunburn can worsen fluid loss and inflammation, but water helps combat both. So remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Don’t pick, lick, or peel the skin
Honestly, sunburns on some parts of your body are easier to ignore than others. However, when your lips are the thing that’s painful and irritated, it’s tough to ignore.
You may find yourself wanting to lick your lips, pick at the blisters, or peel the flaking skin, but don’t. Picking and peeling can delay healing, increase infection risk, and even cause scarring.
Licking won’t do that, but it can dry out the lips when you’re trying to moisten them. And digestive enzymes in saliva actually break down your skin barrier, worsening the burn and slowing healing. Stay disciplined, and let your lip sunburn heal.
Know when it’s time to see your GP
Sunburns can be severe. If you’re struggling to treat sunburned lips and are experiencing extreme pain, large pus-filled blisters, signs of infection, flu-like symptoms, or any other worsening symptoms, see your GP.
They can offer advice, prescribe anti-inflammatory medication, and recommend appropriate treatments to help you heal as quickly as possible. Sometimes this ends up being the more effective solution—especially if you’re stuck playing the guessing game with other remedies.
Always use SPF in the future
The best tool against sun damage is prevention. Just like you apply sunscreen daily during your morning skincare routine, you should be applying SPF to your lips too. These are some of the best sunscreens for clog prone skin.
And no, I don’t mean a standard sunscreen that will literally leave a bad taste in your mouth. There are lots of sun-protectant lip balms out there. You just need to find one.
Below, I’m sharing some of my favorite lip balms, most of which are SPF 30 or higher, to protect your skin and keep your lips hydrated and healthy.
What to use on sunburned lips
Blistex Ultra Lip Balm with SPF 50 Plus Lip
This Blistex lip balm offers SPF 50, which means it’ll block out 98% of dangerous UV rays.
It also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and other antioxidants to support hydration in the summer, winter, or any other time of year. (Yes, you should still wear sunscreen in winter.) This one contains some fragrance so don’t use it if you’re sensitive or have perioral dermatitis.
Hello Sunday The Mauve One SPF 50 Hydrating Tinted Lip Balm
Hello Sunday offers another high SPF option. This one is tinted and has a berry flavour, so it’ll multitask as a skincare product and a cosmetic.
It uses shea butter and hyaluronic acid for hydration and comes in a variety of shades to match your aesthetic.
Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin
This is one of my favourites. It’s SPF 30 and contains lots of anti-aging ingredients like squalane, avocado oil, and vitamin C to smooth skin, keep lips plump and prevent wrinkles on the lip (beyond the natural lip wrinkles).
These nourishing ingredients deeply condition the skin and keep your lips protected, giving you healthy, happy lips every day. It does have some essential oils however, so make a careful decision about whether that’s right for you.
E45 Protecting Lip Balm SPF 30
E45 Protecting Lip Balm has vitamin E, beeswax, and shea butter as the ultimate hydration trio. The moisturising effects have also been found to be highly effective, offering hydration that lasts for over 72-hours.
It’s SPF 30, fragrance-free and suitable for sensitive skin. It helps provide reliable sun protection while keeping lips soft and healthy.
NIVEA SUN Protect Caring Lip Balm SPF 50
Here’s one last high-protection SPF! In addition to its sun-protecting properties, these lip balms have vitamin E and shea butter. It’s an excellent option for nourishing the skin while the sunburn heals.
Its rich, creamy formula helps keep lips soft and hydrated throughout the day, which is perfect for long days in the sun. However, it can look a little white on the lips, so maybe only use it on the beach.
I also really love the Rohto Mentholatum Water Lip for daily use, but it’s only SPF20 and I doubt it lasts long on the lips.
While sunburned lips can be uncomfortable, these tips will help you prevent them and feel better fast.
You can get sunburned on any part of your body. Though it can be easy to forget, you should protect your lips like you do the rest of your body. To keep yourself protected, make sure your skincare routine covers you from head to toe.
And yes, you can even get sunburned on a cloudy or cold day, so never skip sun protection.
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