Comments on: Why Do We Touch Our Mouths So Much? (continued) http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:39:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Greg http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-183211 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:37:14 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-183211 Seth, I think you're now taking your conclusion and searching for somewhat tortured justifications for it - e.g., maybe 20 times is helpful but 100 times is harmful. As far as I know, it's commonly held that licking your lips dries them out, and it's consistent with my experience. If you disagree, why not try licking your lips various numbers of times per day and see if it keeps them moist? Seth, I think you’re now taking your conclusion and searching for somewhat tortured justifications for it - e.g., maybe 20 times is helpful but 100 times is harmful. As far as I know, it’s commonly held that licking your lips dries them out, and it’s consistent with my experience. If you disagree, why not try licking your lips various numbers of times per day and see if it keeps them moist?

]]> by: Bob http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182917 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:13:49 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182917 Touching one's mouth may have a social meaning as well; in acting they say that touching your mouth or your head with your hands lowers your social status relative to other people in the room. I've never seen any data or experiments to test this though. Touching one’s mouth may have a social meaning as well; in acting they say that touching your mouth or your head with your hands lowers your social status relative to other people in the room. I’ve never seen any data or experiments to test this though.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182558 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:01:06 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182558 Rob, maybe doing something 20 times is helpful but doing it 100 times is harmful. Maybe you're licking your lips too much. Rob, maybe doing something 20 times is helpful but doing it 100 times is harmful. Maybe you’re licking your lips too much.

]]> by: Rob http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182530 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:53:25 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182530 Hey Seth, Cliff is right. I have a nervous habit of licking my lips sometimes and all it does it dry them out during the day by removing the natural oils on the surface. After hours of licking my lips I have to start using lip balm! Maybe there's a benefit to licking lips - but it ain't keeping them lubricated! Hey Seth, Cliff is right. I have a nervous habit of licking my lips sometimes and all it does it dry them out during the day by removing the natural oils on the surface. After hours of licking my lips I have to start using lip balm! Maybe there’s a benefit to licking lips - but it ain’t keeping them lubricated!

]]> by: moruno28 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182356 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:34:30 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182356 i think that when i touch my own lips i often rub the ends, moving the moist buildup towards the middle of my lips. thus, my lips become more moist, even though moistening my lips in this fashion is not my intention, maybe it's instinctive. i think that when i touch my own lips i often rub the ends, moving the moist buildup towards the middle of my lips. thus, my lips become more moist, even though moistening my lips in this fashion is not my intention, maybe it’s instinctive.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182237 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:37:09 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182237 If you can find data -- not just assertions -- that support your idea, please post again. If you can find data — not just assertions — that support your idea, please post again.

]]> by: Cliff http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182197 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 20:53:53 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-182197 Yes. you are talking about normal lips and you are wrong about normal lips. There are no lips that licking makes moist, that is the bottom line. If you don't believe me, do a little research, then revise your theory because it does not fit reality. Think about it. Would washing your hands really often keep your hands moist? No. It dries them out. Try washing your hands 100 times a day and see what happens to your hands, they will be destroyed. If you bothered to google, you would find stuff like this: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Lips-Smooth http://www.ehow.com/how_2115815_cure-chapped-lips.html http://www.carefair.com/Skincare/Tips_to_Stop_Biting_Your_Lip_1427.html Looks like unanimous agreement- don't lick your lips. Btw, I have been watching people who are busy, and have not seen any lick their lips. Yes. you are talking about normal lips and you are wrong about normal lips. There are no lips that licking makes moist, that is the bottom line. If you don’t believe me, do a little research, then revise your theory because it does not fit reality. Think about it. Would washing your hands really often keep your hands moist? No. It dries them out. Try washing your hands 100 times a day and see what happens to your hands, they will be destroyed.

If you bothered to google, you would find stuff like this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Lips-Smooth
http://www.ehow.com/how_2115815_cure-chapped-lips.html
http://www.carefair.com/Skincare/Tips_to_Stop_Biting_Your_Lip_1427.html

Looks like unanimous agreement- don’t lick your lips.

Btw, I have been watching people who are busy, and have not seen any lick their lips.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-181841 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:50:42 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-181841 I have no idea what chapped lips need. Perhaps more oil. Perhaps something else. I'm talking about normal lips. I have no idea what chapped lips need. Perhaps more oil. Perhaps something else. I’m talking about normal lips.

]]> by: Cliff http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-181807 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:23:19 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-181807 Kevin is exactly right- licking your lips will not keep them moist, it will dry them out. I am skeptical that touching your lips gets skin-oils on them and keeps them moist, but that is more probable than your opposite-world conclusion. Kevin is exactly right- licking your lips will not keep them moist, it will dry them out. I am skeptical that touching your lips gets skin-oils on them and keeps them moist, but that is more probable than your opposite-world conclusion.

]]> by: kevin http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-181689 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 23:33:09 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/#comment-181689 I have found that licking my chapped lips dries them out further, causing more harm than if I left them alone, just as washing dry skin doesn't restore moisture, it makes it worse. What the lips need is probably not water, its skin oil, right? I have found that licking my chapped lips dries them out further, causing more harm than if I left them alone, just as washing dry skin doesn’t restore moisture, it makes it worse. What the lips need is probably not water, its skin oil, right?

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