My lips are dry and cracked, what should I do? Reasons. Treatment

The lips have very sensitive and delicate skin that reacts sharply to various irritants: aggressive weather conditions, vitamin deficiency, mechanical damage, lack of moisture, etc. These and other factors can cause the lips to begin to peel, microcracks and even deep cracks with minor bleeding to form.

Photo 1: If cracked lips are left unattended, the risk of penetration of pathogenic microorganisms increases, which can result in infection. Source: flickr (Polly Anne).

Why do lips crack?

Pay attention! The skin on the lips can also crack due to various systemic diseases. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify the root cause of the disease in order to eliminate it in time, thereby preventing the occurrence of undesirable consequences.

Below we will look at the main reasons why the pathology in question may develop, and also focus on the main methods of treating this pathology.

Dry lips

In medicine, lip diseases are called cheilitis. The main symptom of redness, peeling and cracking is dryness.

Lips can dry out and crack if a person spends a long time in a room where the air is too dry and warm, after walking in frosty and windy weather, or as a result of sunburn.

However, often dry lips can also be a sign of serious illnesses:

• pathologies of the digestive system;
• frequent stressful situations and depression, leading to an imbalance of various body systems;
• avitaminosis;
• dehydration of the body;
• kidney pathologies;
• anemia;
• diabetic disease;
• malfunction of the thyroid gland;
• predisposition to allergies.

Excessive dryness, leading to the appearance of cracks, can also occur due to poor diet (too spicy or salty foods, consumption of large amounts of caffeine-containing products, etc.), bad habits (smoking, alcohol and drug addiction), and taking certain medications. drugs.

Lips crack severely, until they bleed

In some cases, a person faces a problem when cracks do not heal for a long time, and the wounds may even bleed. Such a symptom may be a signal that the patient suffers from a lack or poor absorption of certain vitamins and microelements by the body.

So, for example, a deficiency of vitamins A causes sagging skin (also on the lips), loss of their elasticity and firmness. If there is not enough vitamin E, the water balance in the skin is disrupted - the lips become rough, may crack at the corners and bleed slightly. It is very important that the body receives sufficient quantities of B vitamins, which take part in metabolic processes occurring in the skin, as well as vitamin C, which is responsible for the healthy appearance of the skin.

Lips can also crack until they bleed as a result of the progression of the herpes virus. Blisters, which subsequently burst and turn into wounds (sometimes bleeding), can appear on the lips, as well as on any part of the body and even on internal organs.

Photo 2: Nine out of ten people have the herpes virus. Once it gets into the body (which can happen even at birth), it never goes away. Herpes makes itself felt whenever the immune system weakens. Source: flickr (PLGSTD07).

What to do for chapped lips

Pay attention! If there are deep bleeding cracks, with purulent discharge or recurrent ones, you should immediately consult a doctor to find out what exactly triggered this pathology. For this purpose, a special examination is carried out - an analysis is taken from the affected area, the pathogen and its sensitivity to antibiotics are determined, and appropriate therapy is selected.

If cracks are formed as a result of fungal infection, special antifungal ointments are prescribed.

Along with the main medications, the specialist prescribes a vitamin complex (primarily vitamins C, A, B, as well as zinc and iron) to strengthen and improve the functioning of the immune system.

If you are prone to cracks, nutritionists recommend including the following foods in your diet:

• sufficient quantities of greens;
• vegetable oil (preferably olive) unrefined;
• oatmeal;
• orange and red vegetables and fruits;
• hard cheeses;
• fish products (except canned food);
• meat;
• malt.

To prevent chapped lips, you should avoid sweets and simple carbohydrates, which contribute to the growth of fungi.

If you are prone to cheilitis, it is imperative to choose a high-quality moisturizing cosmetic product.

If the occurrence of cracks is an allergic reaction, then it is necessary to eliminate all possible allergic agents (most often these are decorative cosmetics).

Chapped lips - treat with homeopathy

Homeopathy is a very effective treatment for dry and chapped lips. good because they do not cause addiction and side effects, in comparison, for example, with antibiotics.

Experts recommend first being examined by an experienced homeopath, who will identify the root cause of the disease and prescribe complex therapy. Homeopathic medicines are prescribed individually for each patient, despite the similarity of symptoms for a particular disease.

This is explained by the fact that the theory of homeopathy is aimed specifically at healing the entire body, at eliminating the cause of pathology, and not just its manifestations.

For dry lips and cracking, the following remedies are prescribed:

1. (Arsenicum album)– prescribed for the herpes virus, accompanied by red ulcers, severe burning, relieved by warm compresses;
2. Actaea racemosa– helps with dryness, cracking of the lower lip;
3. Actaea spicata– an excellent remedy for cracks;
4. Ailanthus– swelling and dryness with a gray coating at elevated body temperature;
5. (Apis)– lips are swollen and painful;
6. (Aloe)– dryness, cracking, redness;
7. Arum triphyllum– prescribed for bleeding cracks;
8. Baryta sulphurica– helps against cracks and excessive dryness;

The problem of dry lips is known to many firsthand; dry and burning lips occur in men and women, regardless of age and season. The delicate skin on the lips can peel, dry out and become cracked, causing a lot of pain.

Why do lips dry out, skin peel off and cracks appear too often? How to solve the problem and is it necessary to urgently seek medical help?

Causes of dry skin

Human lips are the most sensitive place, the skin on which has always been considered very delicate and thin. If peeling occurs on the lips, the skin dries out and becomes covered with painful cracks, this is an important signal from the body about possible problems in it. Why do my lips dry out? Is it serious?

If your lips are very dry, the problem may be the following:

• Dry lips occur as a result of frequent temperature changes. This phenomenon is most typical for residents of those areas where daytime and nighttime temperatures have a large amplitude (heat during the day, cold at night). Dry climate also does not have the best effect on the condition of the skin of sponges;
• lips become very dry as a result of prolonged exposure to bright sun, which can lead to sunburn;
• dry lips arise from dust;
• the cause of dryness is allergic reactions to decorative cosmetics (lipstick, face cream, gloss) or medications;
• Lips often peel due to excessive use of water procedures and too frequent washing of the face without subsequent moisturizing of the skin;
• the skin on the lips becomes dry as a result of dehydration. A small amount of liquid consumed daily greatly affects the condition of the entire human dermis;
• the skin of the lips may peel off if you have bad habits, such as drinking alcohol or smoking;
• constant stress is the cause of dry lips;
• intoxication of the body is also a factor in which lips dry and peel.

Diseases as a cause of dry skin

But external factors and unfavorable weather conditions do not always cause sponges to constantly dry out. Sometimes this is a signal that a disease is developing in the body, accompanied by such symptoms. Some diseases cause the epithelium to become dry and flaky.

So, dry and cracked lips, a sign of what?

1. The hereditary disease ichthyosis, which is expressed in dysfunction of the skin, can lead to the skin of the lips cracking and peeling.
2. When the functions of the sebaceous glands are impaired (seborrhea), the skin becomes very dry, including the lips.
3. Chapped and dry lips are a common sign of kidney failure.
4. If you have diabetes, the skin from your lips often peels off.
5. A dry crust on the lips may indicate a chronic disease such as psoriasis.

So, if your lips dry out and crack, there can be a variety of reasons; you should not immediately run to the doctor, unless some signs arise that require immediate contact with a specialist who will prescribe adequate treatment. This needs to be done:

• if your lips dry out and there is pronounced redness on them, accompanied by pain;
• severe itching occurs on the delicate skin of the sponges, leading to sleep disturbance;
• wounds and ulcers have appeared, bleeding from them periodically occurs;
• the period of dry skin has been too long, the dermis peels off profusely and may periodically become covered with cracks.

Only an experienced specialist will be able to help in the above cases; he will establish an accurate diagnosis and explain how to treat a specific disease.

Self-medication or the use of cosmetics to moisturize the skin can only lead to a worsening of the situation.

What measures should be taken to combat dryness if there are no signs of disease?

Having found out why women's lips dry out, you need to understand how to deal with it.

Often dry lips have causes that are not at all related to diseases. It is in such cases that you can try to solve the problem at home, without resorting to the help of doctors and expensive salon procedures. What to do if your lips are constantly dry?

• The primary task in this case is to identify factors that negatively affect delicate skin. Finding the cause means eliminating it.
• To begin with, you should completely abandon decorative cosmetics and new creams (for at least two days) so that you can understand whether this phenomenon is an allergic reaction of the body.
• Remove toothpaste containing fluoride from use for a while, for about a week. Fluoride can cause dry skin.
• Stop licking your lips, which also leads to dryness.
• Balance your diet by eating as many fresh vegetables and foods containing fatty acids (fatty fish, butter and olive oil) as possible.
• Carefully monitor the body's water balance by drinking at least two liters of still water per day.
• Try to give up bad habits or reduce them to a minimum.
• Start systematically caring for the delicate skin of your lips.

Systematic sponge care: what should not be forgotten?

How to get rid of dry lips at home? Caring for the delicate skin on your lips is not too complicated, the main thing here is systematicity and regular procedures that take very little time every day.

• Daily massage of dry sponges. This procedure, carried out regularly, will help give elasticity to the dry dermis, remove dead skin scales, improve blood circulation, and soften it. You can massage using a soft toothbrush or a rough piece of cloth (a linen or terry towel will do). The procedure lasts only a few minutes, after which the sponges must be lubricated with rich cream or olive oil.
• Proper removal of cosmetics. Another important step in sponge care. It is recommended to remove lipstick or lip gloss only with cosmetic milk; cold water and soap contribute to dry skin.
• Soft peeling. To make your sponges soft, exfoliate them weekly to remove dry skin. An excellent remedy is steamed semolina mixed with natural yogurt or full-fat sour cream. You can also use ground oatmeal with sour cream; it will also remove dry skin gently and without injury.
• Honey compress. Natural honey not only moisturizes and nourishes the dermis, it also perfectly heals small wounds and cracks. If there are no allergic reactions to beekeeping products, you can apply honey to the sponges daily, leaving it on the skin for 5-10 minutes, or apply a cotton pad with a small amount of honey to the sponges.
• With the onset of hot, sunny days, it is recommended to make it a rule to apply special creams to the face and especially lips that provide protection from ultraviolet rays. You shouldn't leave the house without this cream on your dry lips. In cold and windy weather, you need to treat your lips with special fatty balms, which are sold in every cosmetics store.

So, your lips are dry, what should you do? Why not take advantage of the experience of older generations and prepare nourishing and moisturizing sponge masks yourself?

According to many women who have tested these masks on themselves, the most effective are products based on kefir, honey, fresh fruits and vegetables. Many recipes for masks to soften dry skin can be found on the Internet.

The main thing here is to follow the system: nourishing masks should be applied at least once a week.

Almost all people complain from time to time (if not to the doctor, then to each other) that their lips dry out. Women share with each other their methods of dealing with this scourge, and men steadfastly bite off the scabs. However, before you start taking action (or decide to ignore the problem), you need to find out why your lips are dry. The list of actions that need to be taken will depend on this.

Relatively harmless causes of dry lips

It cannot be said that these factors are completely harmless, since they can lead to unpleasant and even dangerous consequences. However, they are quite easily removable.

1. Those who use chapstick every day often experience dry lips. The reason is that this product softens the natural protective thin layer on the lips.
2. Dehydration. It can only happen in summer: in winter, a person loses water not through sweat, but in the fight against the cold, without noticing that his body lacks moisture.
3. Over time, fluoride-containing toothpastes cause everyone's lips to become dry and flaky. These products create a kind of plaque that interferes with hydration.
4. Ladies often have dry lips from low-quality cosmetics.
5. Drying out often occurs due to eating dishes with an abundance of spices.
6. A common cause of this unpleasant phenomenon is vitamin deficiency. The specific condition of the lips indicates which vitamin the suffering body lacks. For example, cracking of the corners of the mouth indicates a lack of vitamin B, and the surface of the lips - E.
7. Smokers constantly have dry lips. The reason is obvious, but they are in no hurry to fight it.
8. Lack of sugar in the body. One might say, the most pleasant reason: there is a reason to treat yourself to a treat.
9. Medicines. Most often antidepressants.

As you can see, all these circumstances (except for bad habits) can be eliminated quite easily. Let's move on to more serious factors.

Frightening reasons

Some of them require the intervention of a medical specialist, and some require a review of their life positions.

1. The lips dry and peel in a person experiencing severe and prolonged stress - he involuntarily licks and bites them all the time.
2. Diseases of the intestines or stomach, primarily gastritis and dysbacteriosis.
3. Allergy - most often to paste or lipstick, if the dryness of the lips is not seasonal, but arose when they changed. But the problem can also arise due to allergies of another origin.
4. Diabetes. At the initial stage, when you do not yet suspect that you have it, dry lips can be one of the first symptoms.
5. If your lips dry out and crack until they bleed, and even with the release of pus, so that it hurts even to smile, it could be a fungus, staphylococcus, etc. See a doctor immediately!

Of course, these reasons are quite rare. Usually the discomfort is caused by something simpler. But if your lips dry out regularly, it’s better to play it safe.

Signs of Coming Problems

As a rule, drying out does not occur instantly. It is preceded by certain symptoms. If you know them, you can prevent dryness from occurring. You should start taking action if you:

• the saliva became white and somewhat viscous;
• swallowing is not painful, as with a sore throat, but rather difficult;
• The corners of my lips turned red.

In order not to wait for problems to develop, we must begin to act.

We treat lips

First of all, follow the drinking regime: the prescribed one and a half liters of water per day. Tea, coffee, juices and especially fizzy drinks are not taken into account.

When planning to go somewhere, smear your wet lips with a soft balm a third of an hour before going out. If your lips are already dry, replace lipsticks and balms with olive oil. It would be nice to drink a spoonful of it in the morning, before meals and coffee.

Before going to bed, smear your lips with honey. And until it is absorbed, do not eat or drink anything. And once a week, make a mask on them from goose fat or, at worst, from a ready-made cream.

Take a course of taking complex vitamins. Which one is better to choose, ask your therapist or dermatologist, he will assess your general condition and select what you need.

If your lips are chapped, drink juice and anything hot through a straw so as not to injure them even more. For the same purpose, it is better to cut fruits and juicy vegetables like tomatoes and put them in your mouth without touching the affected skin.

Prevent not cure

If your lips sometimes dry out, get tested just in case so as not to trigger possible more serious illnesses. In their absence, having eliminated existing problems, take preventive measures:

1. Visit your dentist. Even if your teeth are intact, you need to remove stone from them regularly.
2. Introduce regular massage into the practice: with a soft toothbrush dipped in vegetable oil (it is preferable to buy olive oil), gently rub your lips in different directions.
3. Once every two weeks, make a mask from a teaspoon of medium-fat sour cream, the same volume of lemon juice and a few drops of vegetable oil. Apply for about twenty minutes, then wash off with warm water.
4. During your morning toilet, wipe not only your face with ice, but also your lips. If you make ice from herbal infusions or fruit juices, the procedure will become even more useful.

Children: hypervigilance

Particular care must be taken in relation to the baby. If you notice that your child's lips are dry, the first step should be to visit the pediatrician and get tested. The doctor will first determine whether the dryness is a consequence of stomatitis or herpes - in children this is often how they begin to manifest themselves. And the tests will rule out suspicions of developing diabetes. It would also be useful to immediately determine whether the child suffers from dysbiosis, and also ask the doctor what vitamins to “feed” the baby. The active growth of children and adolescents regularly leads to vitamin deficiency. If, fortunately, the terrible diagnoses are not confirmed, you will have to patiently prevent the descendant from “peeling” his lips and treat them in the same way as described above. You should use honey to soften it carefully, only if you are firmly convinced that there is no allergy. It’s better to limit yourself to olive oil altogether.

Dry lips cause many inconveniences: we don’t enjoy eating, it hurts to smile and kiss. This problem can occur at any time of the year, it appears in men, women, and children. Why does the skin on the lips dry, crack and peel, what measures should be taken to eliminate this unpleasant symptom, how to avoid its occurrence?

Why do lips dry out?

Dry lip skin is the body’s reaction to external influences or a symptom of some ailment in our body. The lack of moisture entering the body first appears on the lips.

Photo 1: Lips are the first to react to changes in the external environment, this is due to the lack of sebaceous glands in them, which would regulate the condition of thin skin on the lips. Source: flickr (Vashukov Oleg).

Cheilitis is an inflammation of the stratum corneum of the skin and the border of the lips, which manifests itself as a separate disease, but can also occur as a symptom of another ailment.

And if it is possible to eliminate the provoking factors and get rid of the problem in the first case, then to eliminate it, in the second case, you must first of all deal with the reasons that caused it.

External reasons:

• meteorological reaction to cold, wind;
• actinic reaction to ultraviolet radiation, manifests itself more often in spring and summer;
• poor oral hygiene, touching lips with dirty hands, using unclean towels;
• insufficient moisture.

Internal reasons:

• hypovitaminosis, in which there is not enough vitamin B in the body (in particular B2, B6);
• a fungal infection caused by poor oral hygiene.
• allergies caused by foods, cosmetics, toothpaste, dentures
• depression, vegetative neurosis, accompanied by biting, licking lips;
• decreased hemoglobin;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• decreased immunity;
• fungal diseases.

Attention! Often the cause of peeling lips is also dehydration. Proper drinking regimen will help restore water balance and avoid many other problems and diseases.

Lips become dry and flaky

The delicate skin on the lips, reacting to external or internal problems, begins to peel off if action is not taken in time. This is a common occurrence when she is extremely dehydrated.

Without enough moisture, thin skin begins to flake off, forming small scales. This causes discomfort and can lead to even more unpleasant consequences. Usually, to eliminate flaking, it is worth changing your diet, getting rid of bad habits, changing the influence of weather conditions, taking measures to protect the delicate skin of your lips with the help of cosmetics.

Peeling can be avoided if it is caused by external factors. It is more difficult if it is a symptom of another disease. Then it’s not enough to just buy chapstick, drink more water and eat vitamin-rich foods. You need to see a doctor who, after diagnosis, will prescribe treatment.

Lips become dry and cracked

When peeling and dry lips lead to the formation of cracks, the problem only gets worse: the lips begin to hurt, and the cracks can get infected, which may trigger other diseases.

Very often such cracks appear in the corners of the lips. They are called jams. It is believed that the main sign of seizures is weakened immunity.

Seizures are formed both due to a fungal infection and as a result of previous diseases that weaken the body’s defenses. The cause of seizures can also be:

• gastrointestinal diseases;
• diabetes mellitus;
• allergic reaction.

Why do women's lips peel?

Who is more susceptible to dry lips: men and women? It is hardly possible to answer this question unambiguously. While the reaction of the body of women and men is similar, the causes of dryness in representatives of different sexes may differ:

• The most common cause of dry lips in women is incorrectly selected cosmetics: glosses, lipsticks, balms. Low-quality products provoke peeling and cracking.
• Hormonal imbalances in the body cause weakened immunity, and this is one of the main causes of dry lips in women.

Why do men's lips dry out?

In men who suffer from weather sensitivity, as well as those who work outdoors, peeling of the lips is observed even more often than in women.

This is also aggravated by the fact that men still use lip cosmetics less than women.

Left unprotected and exposed to wind, rain and snow, men's lips often become dry.

Photo 2: Bad habits - drinking alcohol and smoking, very often provoke dehydration of the body, which is manifested by excessive dryness of the skin of the lips. Source: flickr (Dave the bass).

What measures need to be taken

Treatment of cheilitis directly depends on the cause of its occurrence. When chapped lips are the result of a reaction to the weather, food or incorrectly selected cosmetics, it is necessary to eliminate the main cause.

Moisturizing creams and masks and eating foods rich in vitamins A, E, C help make lips soft.

If peeling is a symptom of a disease, only a doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Homeopathic treatment

Homeopathy will help restore reduced immunity. You can take homeopathic remedies. Because homeopathy affects the entire body, improving its functioning and the interaction of all its systems.

Homeopathic remedies that help get rid of dry lips:

• (Aconite)– prescribed for dehydration and dry skin, including on the lips.

In winter, many people have dry and cracked lips, but sometimes this phenomenon occurs even in the warm season. There can be many reasons - from improper care to more serious problems.

Banal causes of cracked lips

If your lips burst, it causes quite unpleasant sensations - pain, irritation, burning. You want to lick them, but this usually makes the problem worse. For most people, the skin around the lips becomes dry in spring and autumn, as well as in winter. It is not surprising, since the main cause of violations is temperature changes.

When a person goes outside from the heat, the sebaceous glands cannot “rebuild” and begin to secrete more secretion.

Reduced production of a substance that makes the skin elastic, moisturized and regulates moisture evaporation leads to excessive dryness. If urgent measures are not taken, lips:

Without rapid healing, there is a risk of infection getting into the wounds and developing an inflammatory process. Therefore, it is impossible to rip off the peeling skin from the lips. There are other reasons for dry lips in men and women that are related to lifestyle:

If you are exposed to cold or strong drafts for a long time, the mucous membrane of the lips (the area around the mouth) of a child and an adult can become chapped or frostbitten literally in one go.

Vitamin deficiency and allergies

If the sponges constantly burst, so-called “jams” form in the corners, the cause may be a deficiency of vitamins A, E, D, group B. Usually such phenomena are characteristic of the second half of winter and spring, and most often this is how a person manifests a lack of alpha-tocopherol and carotene.

The vitamins your skin needs are listed below:

Why do women's lips dry out? Often the cause is the use of lipstick, which causes a type of contact dermatitis (allergic reaction). You can also notice that your lips become very dry if you regularly use lipsticks without a moisturizing function (“matte”), which should not be used in cold weather. Allergies can appear on the upper or lower lip after brushing your teeth; the culprit is unsuitable toothpaste with allergic ingredients. In summer, excessive sun exposure can cause excessive dryness of the lips.

Skin diseases

Why do lips itch, become crusty, and sometimes have unpleasant-looking blisters on the tip of the lip? All of these signs are classic symptoms of herpes. It develops after infection with a virus and will then regularly worsen as immunity decreases. The clinical picture of herpes is as follows:

Fungal infections of the skin of the lips are uncommon, but are possible in individuals with severely weakened immune systems. If there is a whitish coating on the inside of the lower lip, mucosal candidiasis is likely to occur. Sometimes this happens during pregnancy, after a long course of hormones or antibiotics.

The skin around the mouth may itch and dry out due to cheilitis - inflammation of the red border.

Most often, the cause of this skin disease is the use of allergenic or low-quality cosmetics, and the main symptoms are pain, redness, burning, and severe dryness.

Other reasons

A common prerequisite for peeling and dry lips is ARVI, flu, colds, sinusitis. All these infectious diseases cause nasal congestion, so a person is forced to breathe through the mouth. This causes drying of the mucous membrane and the appearance of an extremely unpleasant sensation. In addition, a person is constantly thirsty, and at night the lips become so dry that in the morning bloody cracks are visible on them. In children, persistently chapped lips may be a sign of adenoids.

Cracks and dryness that are difficult to treat can be a symptom of a number of serious diseases:

Also, the cause of cracks and dryness is sometimes poor dental hygiene and incorrect bite - you should consult a dentist.

What to do to treat lip skin?

If the problem is caused by systemic pathologies, it will not be possible to cope with dryness and cracks without taking them under control. After undergoing examination by a gastroenterologist or endocrinologist, the patient will receive an appointment and begin therapy. Dermatological diseases are treated under the supervision of a dermatologist.

An integrated approach must necessarily include a diet with increased amounts of vitamins.

You need to give up food that irritates the sponge - salty, spicy, sour, with chemical additives. Citrus fruits, alcohol, chewing gum, and soda should also be removed. More fruits and vegetables, sour cream and cottage cheese, lean meat, cereals - this is the basis of the diet.

Regular lip massage helps to cope with the problem very quickly. It is done using a soft toothbrush, after applying a nourishing cream. Massage in a circular motion for 2 minutes, which will speed up cell recovery. There are also a number of pharmaceutical ointments that will heal the skin quickly and without a trace:

For herpes, you should use Acyclovir, Panavir for a course of 5-7 days, these ointments will relieve dryness and burning.

Traditional treatment

You can also smear flaky lips with homemade products. You should take into account these recipes::

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of natural honey and any internal fat (if you don’t have it, then take butter), apply carefully, use as an ointment up to 5 times a day.
2. Combine equal amounts of peach oil, olive oil, and sea buckthorn oil, use as a nourishing mask - apply for 30 minutes daily.
3. Take fresh cottage cheese and mix with the same amount of sour cream. Make a mask on your lips and leave it on for 20 minutes. Repeat 4 times/week.
4. Melt cocoa butter (a spoon) and wax (the same amount) in a water bath. Pour into a jar and use as a hygienic lipstick before going outside.

Traditional methods will help with many causes of dryness and flaking, but if there is no improvement within a week, attention should be paid to conservative measures.

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