It’s that time of year again. That time period between winter and spring where its not freezing but its not warm enough to not wear a jacket. That time period when you can go through hundreds of lip balms or Chap Stick because you either lose them or you leave them in your pocket and they go through the laundry. Its Chapped lips season. Or is it?

I’ve seen a lot of “Are you addicted to lip balm” or “Can you be addicted to lip balm” lately on Buzzfeed and just around and it made me think a little. “Am I addicted to Chap Stick? Do I know anyone that is addicted to it? This is crazy!”

Apparently this is a growing addiction. Especially the newest EOS lip balms. They are becoming a craze. I personally don’t like them. It is such an odd shape and I can’t put it in my pocket. That’s not the only reason but its one of the biggest reasons. Convenience is a big thing when it comes to lip balms and EOS is not convenient. I would much rather use a tube of Chap Stick.

I feel like I have to have Chap Stick all the time now. Then again have heard some crazy things if you do use it ALL the time so I only use it when my lips feel like the Sahara Desert.

So I guess you’re wondering if you can actually be addicted to Chap Stick. Dr. Janet Prystowsky says “Technically no, but in my 25 years of experience what typically happens to people who appear to be ‘addicted’ to it is this: they use a lip balm and eventually develop a sensitivity to components in it.”

She continues to talk about the fact that when people who continue to use lip balm continue to make the sensitivity more severe, which increases the use of lip balm.

I don’t know if my lips have become addicted to Chap Stick or if my lips are actually chapped. Is the sensitivity in my lips increased because my recent use of Chap Stick?!

There are side effects of using too much lip balm and that makes me nervous. Eventually dermatitis can occur with cracking and soreness around the lips. That’s basically like having chapped lips all the time. Two of my least favorite things: being sick with a stuffy nose, and having chapped lips. If this happened to me all the time, I wouldn’t be happy. At all.

Does lip balm actually work? Dr. Prystowsky said it works by “sealing moisture into the lip tissue and preventing evaporation into the dry winter air. This allows for healing of chapped lips and also prevents chapping”. This is EXACTLY why I use it!

According to Buzzfeed, however I am not addicted. They have written a list that was released in August of 2013. “13 signs you are addicted to lip balm”. I only have a problem with 3 of the thirteen.

Dr. Oz talked about being addicted to lip balm as well. According to him, I am not addicted either. He says if you:

“Apply lip balm more than 3 times per day,

Have more than one lip balm,

Keep lip balm in multiple places (next to your bed, in the car, in your purse, on your desk),

And if you think about re-applying lip balm after an intimate kiss,”

Then you are addicted to lip balm. I only have an issue with one of these. I apply Chap Stick more than three times a day but that’s only if my lips are actually chapped.

So am I addicted really though? I feel like I have been using my Chap Stick so much lately and I don’t want to over use it. I’ve seen pictures and it’s not pretty. After reading article after article about over use of Chap Stick and Lip Balm I know for sure if I don’t need it, I won’t use it. If there is a risk of having chapped lips symptoms all the time I won’t risk it, will you? Whether it’s a tube of Chap Stick or a ball of EOS, are you addicted?