What causes dry, chapped, and purplish lips?

Generally, chapped and purple lips may be caused by cold exposure, long-term lip dryness, iron deficiency anemia, heart failure, pulmonary embolism, and other reasons. If you experience any discomfort, please seek medical attention promptly and undergo symptomatic treatment under the guidance of a professional physician. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Cold Exposure

When the body is exposed to cold environments, surface blood vessels constrict to reduce heat loss, slowing blood flow. As oxygen in the blood is consumed by tissues, the level of reduced hemoglobin increases, causing the lips to appear purple. Additionally, cold accelerates water loss from the skin and mucous membranes, and since the skin of the lips is thin, it is more prone to chapping. During cold weather, it is important to keep warm, wear a mask when outdoors, and minimize exposure to low-temperature environments.

2. Long-Term Lip Dryness

In dry environments with low humidity, moisture from the lips evaporates quickly. If hydration is not replenished timely, lips can become dry and cracked due to dehydration. Once chapped, local blood circulation may be affected, causing mild blood stasis, which can lead to purple lips. It is advisable to increase water intake, drink more warm water, use a humidifier to raise environmental humidity, and apply lip balm appropriately to maintain lip moisture.

3. Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia may result from insufficient iron intake, poor absorption, or chronic blood loss, leading to iron deficiency in the body and affecting hemoglobin synthesis. Reduced hemoglobin decreases the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, causing areas like the lips to appear purple due to insufficient oxygen supply. Anemia can also cause dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, making the lips prone to cracking. It may also be accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness. Treatment may include medications such as ferrous sulfate tablets, iron fumarate granules, and compound Ejiao syrup, as directed by a physician.

4. Heart Failure

Heart failure may be caused by myocardial disease, excessive cardiac load, and other factors. Declining cardiac pumping function leads to congestion in both systemic and pulmonary circulation, impairing gas exchange in the lungs and resulting in inadequate blood oxygenation, causing the lips to turn purple. Circulatory impairment also reduces skin blood perfusion and moisture supply, leading to chapped lips. Symptoms such as fatigue and edema may also occur. Patients may take medications such as hydrochlorothiazide tablets, torasemide tablets, and captopril tablets as prescribed by a doctor.

5. Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism often occurs due to embolisms such as dislodged deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs, fat embolism, or amniotic fluid embolism, which block pulmonary arteries. Blockage of pulmonary arteries impedes blood flow to the lungs, impairing gas exchange and causing severe hypoxemia, resulting in markedly purple lips. Due to hypoxia and stress responses, internal environmental disturbances can cause chapped lips. Symptoms may include sudden chest pain and coughing. Patients may use medications such as heparin sodium injection, warfarin sodium tablets, and rivaroxaban tablets as advised by a physician.

In daily life, it is important to avoid prolonged exposure of the lips to harsh environments, such as windy or dry conditions. Maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, regular sleep patterns, moderate exercise, and enhancing immunity can help prevent the occurrence of chapped and purple lips.