When my daughter was in high school, she truly believed she had a lip balm addiction. She needed to have her Burt’s Bees within reach at all times.

There was a tube next to her bed, in her car, one in every pocketbook. She even had a bad day in school because she forgot to put a tube in her backpack. We always made light of this seemingly innocuous problem. After all, with the stress that accompanies the junior year in high school, her addiction could have been a lot worse.

She has now matured into a college senior and has been clean for five years. She believes in the conspiracy theory that there were ingredients in the balm that kept her hooked. She is not alone!

Apparently there are thousands of people out there like Samantha who are constantly reaching for that next lip balm fix. I’ll let you do your own research on this problem, and you can start by going to www.lipbalmanony mous.com.

Chapped lips, when dry, cracked and sore, can actually interfere with daily activities such as smiling, eating, talking, singing and kissing.

There are several reasons why lips may become chapped. Overexposure to wind, sun, cold and dry air are the main culprits. People who breathe through their mouths (for a variety of reasons) can develop chapped lips. Certain medications or allergies to cosmetics or skin care products may be the cause.

When lips are exposed to moisture, they absorb water and plump up, and when dehydrated they can dry out. As we age, it is harder for skin to retain moisture, and dryness tends to increase in the winter.

Chapped lips may also become infected. To lessen the chance of infection, consider an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment.

The conspiracy theory? There are no physically addictive ingredients in balms. A psychological habit? Maybe. But it’s safe — so grab another tube!

How to treat those chapped lips

Mom’s Rx is to prevent chapped lips from occurring by using these tips to maintain healthy lips:

• Avoid lip smacking or licking your lips. When you do, you provide a drop of moisture which evaporates quickly, leaving the lips drier than before. Saliva contains digestive enzymes that can break down the protective barrier on the lips.

• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids to moisturize from the inside out. Set up a humidifier in your home or office.

• Be sure your lip balm contains sunscreen. According to Dr. Nelson Novick, a professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, “sun damage to the lips can cause dryness and scaliness, the same way it damages the rest of the skin.”

• Ladies, wear lipstick. A creamy lipstick (non-matte) can soothe chapped lips and opaque lipstick filters out harmful light. This may be why women seldom get lip cancer.

• Apply lip balm. Look for hydrating ingredients such as beeswax and petroleum. Be careful of camphor and menthol, because a camphor-based medicated lip balm might be irritating.

• It’s OK to reapply often — before you go out, several times when you are out and after you eat or drink.

• Many of us sleep with our mouths open, which leads to dry lips. Apply a thick layer of balm at bedtime to lessen chapping.