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in General Factchecking by Novice (820 points)
Some signs point to ideas that could keep your lips form healing. Some including, certain ingredient in lip balms, as well as climate could result in making your chapped lips impossible to get rid off.
by Newbie (330 points)
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Upon fact checking this claim, I found numerous articles questioning the usage of lip balm on chapped lips, which was similar to the title of the article they linked in their claim. Google even gave me an "instant answer" when I searched their claim and agreed with their statement. From just a simple Google search, I was able to get the idea that this claim may be true; however, strictly googling this claim shows bias, so I looked more into it.
After reading the article linked in the claim, I can summarize that this CNN article did not explicitly state that lip balm is making your lips more chapped. The article, however, did mention the science behind chapped lips (thus, the causes of chapped lips), common ingredients in lip balms that are irritants and may contribute to chapped lips, as well as what to use instead to prevent chapped lips. This information is not enough to state the broad claim that all lip balms make lips more chapped. While it is true that there is correlation, I feel as though lip balm has an indirect effect on chapped lips (i.e. some people may be allergic to certain common chemicals found in lip balm, like Beeswax, which can cause drier/itchier lips). However, the article retrieved their information from doctors and reputable institutions, so I decided to look into the other articles I Googled earlier.
I found this article that was updated in July 2024 and reviewed by Michele Farber, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist that states “It's possible, but it depends on a number of factors”.
https://www.byrdie.com/does-chapstick-make-your-lips-more-chapped-6825041#:~:text=%22These%20'medicated'%20lip%20balms,out%20the%20lips%20even%20more.%22
Similar to the CNN article, this article gives multiple factors and situations in which a lip balm may cause dried lips. For example, menthol may initially give a relieving sensation by exfoliating the lips (and removing dried cells), but eventually damage the thin protective layer on the skin that is responsible for moisture. This article was medically reviewed, along with the fact that the author has a Master's Degree in Public Health Nutrition, making this a reliable second source to the original claim. Overall, this claim is true in that some lip balms do indeed contain drying ingredients, but not all.
by Newbie (450 points)
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You did a great job at looking at sources and finding out which ones are unbiased. Out of everything you looked at why did you decide to use birdie as your main source?
by Newbie (250 points)
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Your source seems to be reliable by a big news network. But I wonder why you chose this one since others have shown there are many other sources for information on this topic.
by Novice (610 points)
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This is one of the most in depth fact checks I have ever seen. I agree with this whole heartedly and can see every part of your process. I have to say bravo to you and I hope you fact check many in the future!

5 Answers

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by Novice (840 points)
selected by

Yes, Lip balm is making your lips more chapped. However- this is more of an "what if" situation. As stated in the original claim, this is only 100% true throughout some types of chapstick, and more importantly some - not all - ingredients in chapsticks. This topic has been covered by many different sources. Just one that supports this claim is linked below. The ending verdict is that some chapsticks do in fact make your lips dryer.

https://www.health.com/lip-balm-drying-out-lips-8572161

by Novice (960 points)
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Your answer is great! I feel like it also just depends on the person and how their body reacts to certain products. I frequently apply lip balm and my lips are never chapped. When I forget my lip balm somewhere or don't have it I can feel the effects and see how dry my lips have gotten just through the short time period.
by Novice (740 points)
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You did well on your fact-check. You were concise and direct. You added to the claim and used another source to help support it.
ago by Newbie (250 points)
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I like that you acknowledged that there are different ingredients in some Chapsticks that can cause your lips to become drier, but it's not going to be the same for every brand. It shows the importance of researching ingredients in the products you're using and finding out how different ingredients affect you. Personally, I've noticed certain scents/flavors, such as peppermint, tend to dry out my lips more than other flavors. I wonder if that plays a role?
ago by Newbie (220 points)
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I really enjoyed this fact-check. I thought your wording by saying "What if" perfectly put what the reality of your topic was. Overall great job!
ago by Novice (620 points)
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Your answer was straight to the point and very concise. I like how you pointed out it was a "what if " situation and not all chap sticks make your lips more chapped. Its more so what ingredients are in each, and we shouldn't antagonize all chap stick brands.
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by Newbie (310 points)
edited by
This article seems very legit and well organized for the argument that chapstick increases the risk of chapped lips. Dr Reshmi Kapoor, a dermatologist in Brooklyn, makes several arguments that certain ingredients found in chapsticks can enhance crack and dehydrated lips. These ingredients seem to include beeswax, salicylic acid, and fragrances that are added to the chapstick. Although there is evidence mentioned in this article that would suggest these ingredients to give someone chapped lips, there is no definitive answer in this article. The evidence mentioned is just merely to state that these ingredients MIGHT give you chapped lips, but there is no guarantee on either end. These claims are backed up through Dr. Kapoor's Brooklyn Dermatology offices, as well as US Food and Drug Administration, so there is credibility to them in that regard, but there is no definitive answer provided in this article. ttps://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/allergens-cosmetics
True
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ago by Newbie (300 points)

The claim that “lip balm is making your lips more chapped” is misleading.
Dermatology experts agree that some lip balms — especially those containing menthol, phenol, salicylic acid, camphor or fragrances — can irritate lips and trigger a cycle of dryness. This can make it seem like balm use worsens chapping. However, most lip balms that use occlusive and moisturizing ingredients (like shea butter or ceramides) actually help lips heal by sealing in moisture and protecting against harsh environments.

According to the Cleveland Clinic and the American Academy of Dermatology, persistent dryness is usually due to irritating formulas, lip-licking habits, or dry climates, not lip balm itself. A 2019 PubMed study also found that an occlusive balm significantly improved lip roughness and hydration within two weeks.

Overall, the claim contains a kernel of truth but lacks essential context. Lip balm can worsen dryness only when formulated poorly or used improperly — not because the product category is harmful.

Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-signs-your-lip-balm-use-is-just-a-bad-habit

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31571236/

Exaggerated/ Misleading
ago by Newbie (220 points)
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I like how you took a more nuanced take on the above statement. I also think it's great that you used reputable sources to back up your claim by the NIH or the Cleveland Clinic.
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ago by Novice (560 points)

This claim that lip balm in general makes your lips more chapped is false. However, certain lip balms and chap sticks can make your lips more chapped, depending on its ingredients and your susceptibility to irritation to these ingredients. Common ingredients that are in lip balms/chapsticks that might leave you chapped are beeswax, salicylic acid, fragrance chemicals, phenol, and menthol. These ingredients are serving their purpose and more. For example, in an interview with a dermatologist from CNN DR. Kapoor stated that salicylic acid is acting as an exfoliant to get rid of dry skin however, it is damaging the natural moisture barrier your lips already have. On the other hand some people are just more sensitive to beeswax. From the Cleveland Clinic I learned that to have your lip balm not make your lips more chapped, you simply just get a lip balm that doesn't includes these ingredients. Overall this claim is incorrect that all lip balm makes your lips more chapped, however it is true that some lip balms contain ingredients that can make your lips more chapped.

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/07/health/lip-balm-chapped-lips-wellness

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-signs-your-lip-balm-use-is-just-a-bad-habit

Exaggerated/ Misleading
0 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (220 points)

The claim lip balm is making your lips more chapped is pretty misleading. Yes, in some cases lip balm can make your lips more chapped due to certain ingredients in certain lip balms. But to not specify and just say lip balm doesn't paint the full picture. The CNN article lists that certain ingredients such as menthol, beeswax, and camphor can cause allergic reactions for some people because they can strip off the thin skin layer which causes lips to dry out. Another factor CNN talks about is fragrance in lip products such as geraniol and cinnamaldehyde. But these fragrances can cause lip inflammation (CNN). 

An article by Maggie O’Neill from Health backs up the CNN article claim and says lip oils can be helpful instead of harmful products such as menthol and beeswax. Products recommended are petroleum jelly, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid (Health). Also it is important to pick a lip balm with SPF 15 and up to protect your lips from sun damage. This claim is not necessarily true and misleading until you dive deeper into certain ingredients used. 

Exaggerated/ Misleading

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