Yes, as it does not cause any major harm to our bodies if not consumed in large quantities in a single go.
All around the year and, especially in winters, it is very common for us to carry chapsticks wherever we go, and it is a common habit for most of us to apply them whenever our lips feel hard, dry, or chapped.
There are a lot of instances when you apply your chapstick before eating and end up eating your chapstick along with your food. We never reflect or introspect that after we are done with our food and we carry on with the rest of the day repeating this same thing on a loop without any realization. But, if you had this realization, you most probably are wondering what effects chapstick has when it goes inside your body.
In this article you will get all your answers related to this question- Is It Safe to Eat Chapstick?
Is Lip Balm Toxic If Eaten?
This question- Is lip balm toxic if eaten, is one of the most asked questions by chapstick users. Though chapsticks are not edible or permitted for direct consumption, they cannot cause any harm if you swallow a small quantity by mistake.
It is because our body sends any unwanted element consumed in small quantities out through the process of excretion. Moreover, our body has good tolerance toward foreign particles if it is small in size or less in quantity. The body will take that element through the digestion process if it is under the level of tolerance and lastly push it out through the process of excretion.
But, not to ignore all the contraindications, it is also true that there can always be a little chance of risk which can come from accidental swallowing of chapstick that is supposed to be applied on the lips. The ingredients of a particular chapstick will determine how much harm it can do to your body if consumed accidentally.
Anyway, it is always best for us to remain careful and cautious to avoid consuming chapstick. This is essential because all the things that are not meant for direct consumption will be resisted by the body or simply rejected or discarded.
This generally happens if the non-edible element is consumed in a large quantity above the level our body can tolerate. Our body is made in such a way that it will keep trying to dispose of or reject those foreign elements by excreting or vomiting. Anything that is consumed in excess above the tolerance level is considered poison.
Normal symptoms that might occur due to consumption of chapstick can be nausea, stomach upset, or vomiting. If the symptoms are severe then you should visit a doctor immediately.
Why you Shouldn’t Use Lip Balm?
We normally use chapsticks because it makes our chapped lips smoother and softer but, in reality, the petroleum jelly used in it as the main ingredient does not provide moisture. In fact, it makes the skin of the lips look like they are hydrated because it is an oil-based water repellent product thus, the lips appear to be oily and glossy till that time when the chapstick is on.
So, apart from chapstick that might contain non-edible ingredients, you can switch to edible chaffing-proof products for your lips like coconut oil or ghee. This won’t harm your body in any way if consumed in a small or large amount.
What Are The Side Effects of Eating ChapStick?
Chapsticks are generally used to protect one of the most sensitive areas of skin in our body, yes, our lips against dryness, extremely cold weather, or any other skin condition. If the intake of chapsticks is occurring on a regular basis as you might unknowingly keep on swallowing it with your food and then reapply again once you are done eating. This cycle can go on and on but if it happens for a prolonged period of time there are bound to be some side effects as well.
These side effects might include loose motion, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, etc. Such symptoms might not come to your notice if it occurs only once or a couple of times in a month as a human body has an excellent capacity for excreting foreign bodies and has a great tolerance level for them as well. You would not even realize that your body has coped with the situation.
Many of you might ignore this and relate these symptoms to some other causes and you might not ever end up realizing that these symptoms you are facing are all because of prolonged consumption of your chapstick.
Now, when you are aware of these facts and if you are among those people who have this habit of applying chapstick very often prior to and post consumption of food, then you should try to change this habit or switch to an organic or all-natural alternative of a chapstick. There are a lot of DIYs on social media that will also help you to make a natural alternative to the store-bought chemical chapsticks by using natural products available at your own home, for example, extra-virgin coconut oil, olive oil, or ghee. These are so organic that they can be applied to babies as well.
Why Do I Want to Eat ChapStick?
No person who is sane will willingly want to eat their chapstick until and unless the ingredients used in making the product are edible or there is a certification of it being chemical-free, all-natural, etc.
While some might want to eat the store-bought chapstick if they are flavored. It is not correct as you are not aware of the consequences that you might face later because of this. Store-bought chapsticks come in multiple flavors, and tints, and taste like raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, orange, lime, mint, and many more. You must know all these are artificial and added flavors and none of them are natural.
These additives might cause extra harm to your body as they are more lickable and pleasing to your taste buds, but that should not mean you will consume them if you wish to.
Thus, you should always check the ingredients list of any store-bought chapstick if you have a habit of licking your lips or applying chapstick very often.
Conclusion
That said, I hope by now you know the consequences of consuming chapstick accidentally. It is not harmful if consumed in a small quantity but absolutely not for a prolonged time or a large quantity.
Related articles
Here at FullPersonalCare.com our main goal is to help you in your personal care and solve all the question you could have about any of the accessories you will normally use to take care of yourself.