Short answer: no. \u201cLip balm addiction isn’t an established clinical condition; there are simply many people who overuse the stuff,\u201d says N.Y.C. dermatologist Sejal Shah. So, what\u2019s the deal? Well, it\u2019s a bit of a vicious cycle. \u201cSome people will use lip balm so frequently that they develop a sensitivity to one of the ingredients,\u201d says Boston dermatologist Emmy Graber. Over time, their lips begin to feel irritated and sensitive\u2014and what do they do to treat them? They slather on more balm, explains Graber.<\/p>\n

If this sounds like you, try switching balms to break the cycle. \u201cAvoid products that have harsh lip exfoliating ingredients or cooling sensations,\u201d says N.Y.C. dermatologist Joshua Zeichner. Also, steer clear of balms with menthol, camphor salicylic acid, fragrances and even common bases like beeswax and lanolin. \u201cThese types of ingredients may be irritating to some and can also cause dryness,\u201d says Zeichner. Instead, opt for balms packed with skin repairing ingredients like ceramides, found in Graber and Zeichner\u2019s favorite pick, Cerave\u2019s Healing Ointment ($ 11; ulta.com<\/a>). If you have severe irritation, try a lip balm with 1% hydrocortisone, suggests Graber (try CortiBalm, $5; lovelyskin.com)<\/a>. Another smooth move: only apply balm every few hours or after eating, suggests Shah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Short answer: no. \u201cLip balm addiction isn’t an established clinical condition; there are simply many people who overuse the stuff,\u201d says N.Y.C. dermatologist Sejal Shah. So, what\u2019s the deal? Well, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-in-the-news"],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"smarterskin","author_link":"https:\/\/smarterskindermatology.com\/author\/smarterskin\/"},"yoast_head":"\n