Flying at high altitudes can be a dry and uncomfortable experience, particularly affecting your sense of taste. Dehydration is a common issue on flights, and most passengers don’t realize that this can extend to their mouths, influencing how they perceive flavors. Alexandra Browman, a Travel Advisor at Truely Travel eSim, puts it simply: “Lip balm is more than just a moisturizer; it can be a vital tool for keeping your taste buds functional during flights“.
How Applying Lip Balm Helps You on High-Altitude Flights
Acts as a Taste Preserver
The air inside airplane cabins is extremely dry, with humidity levels around 12% compared to the typical 30-50% at ground level. According to Stadler Form, the olfactory senses, which play a crucial role in how we perceive taste, are significantly affected by moisture levels. Dryness at high altitudes further dampens the sense of smell, so food eaten on a plane tastes bland. Flavored lip balms can thereby help in maintaining subtle taste through their scent and taste properties.
Saliva Production
The Multiple System Atrophy Trust advises using lip balm if you have too little saliva. This indicates that lip balm can stimulate saliva production, which is crucial for taste. Saliva carries dissolved substances to taste buds, enabling the flavor perception mechanisms. Applying lip balm can trick your mouth into producing more saliva, making it easier to taste and savor in-flight meals.
Moisturizes Lips and Mouth Area
Low humidity in plane cabins dries out your lips, causing cracks and irritation. Your lips play a key role in tasting, so keeping them moist using lip balm helps preserve your sense of taste. According to the NCBI, the relative humidity in an airplane cabin is normally less than 20%, which immensely contributes to the dehydration of your mucous membranes.
Hydrates the Entire Oral Cavity
Applying lip balm consistently can extend its moisturizing benefits to the entire mouth, preventing dryness of the throat and improving overall oral comfort, which, in turn, supports better taste reception. Research from NIH highlights that hydrated oral mucosa is essential for a good appetite and optimal tasting functions.
Enhances the Enjoyment of In-Flight Meals
Many airlines strive to provide enjoyable meal services, but the dry cabin air can compromise the taste of these meals. With lip balm, the initial flavor can help prime your taste buds, making the subsequent flavors of your meal more noticeable and enjoyable.
Expert Advice
Alexandra Browman shares some tips from a pro on what to do at the forefront of flights to maximize that lip balm’s potential: “Choose a balm with gentle flavors like vanilla or mint. These not only moisturize but also provide a nice light flavor that won’t overwhelm“. Application before meals aids in the creation of a barrier against dry air and sets your taste buds for the incoming food.
Another piece of advice emphasizes consistency: “Reapply the balm every two to three hours. The dry cabin air is relentless, and maintaining lip hydration requires regular attention,” notes Browman. Frequent reapplication ensures you continuously benefit from the balm’s protective properties.
Finally, she recommends travelers choose a balm with natural ingredients. Synthetic additives could lead to further irritation. Natural lip balms containing ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, or coconut oil are often better tolerated and more effective over long flight durations.
Additional Information and Reminders
- Airline Regulations: Most airlines allow any number of lip balms in a carry-on until and unless there is some other explicitly specified regulation. But it’s always good to check before you fly.
- Multi-Purpose Use: Lip balm is not just for lips. It can also be applied lightly inside the nose to combat dryness.
- Compact and Convenient: Lip balms are small and easily fit into your pocket, making them an efficient way to ensure comfort during your journey.
- All-Weather Essential: Whether you’re flying during summer or winter, lip balm provides an all-weather solution to combat the effects of dry air.
Savor Every Bite in Flight
A little preparation can go a long way in making one comfortable and at ease while in the air. This might sound very small, but lip balm has the potential to protect the taste buds from altitude dryness and thus becomes essential on its own. Alexandra Browman from Truely Travel eSim encapsulates this well: “Investing in a good lip balm is more than just vanity—it’s about enhancing your entire travel experience.” So, pack your favorite flavored balm and enjoy every bite and sip during your next flight.
/credit source: https://truely.com
