Swollen Lips: Causes, Home Remedies, Medical Treatments & Precautions

Have your lips ever swollen up instantly after eating a particular food? Or, do you wake up to swollen lips on some mornings without knowing what to do about it? We know how that feels!

Bee-stung, swelled-up lips can make anyone concerned and frustrated. Plenty of factors could be contributing to the sudden larger than usual appearance of your lips. But identifying the accurate reason is difficult without having any knowledge about it.This is why we have decided to let you know exactly what can cause it and how you should be dealing with this sudden development on the lips. Let’s begin.

WHAT EXPERT SAYS

"Swollen lips can be caused by allergies and inflammatory skin conditions. Acute conditions like angioedema need immediate medical attention. Inflammatory conditions like granulomatous cheilitis can also occur, but it is a rare condition."

Dr. Harish Koutam, Chief Dermatologist, SkinKraft

Highlights:

• What Are The Causes Of Lip Swelling?
• How To Treat Swollen Lips?
• Medical Treatments For Swollen Lips
• When To See A Doctor?
• How Long Does Lip Swelling Last?

What Are The Causes Of Lip Swelling?

Your lips can swell due to various reasons. If the swelling is due to an injury or a minor cause, it is an acute lip swelling. When a more serious condition causes your lips to swell, it is known as chronic lip swelling. Depending on the cause, the swelling can last from a few hours to a couple of days.

Here are some of the causes behind both types of lip swelling:

1. Acute Lip Swelling

A. Injuries

If you’ve accidentally placed your lips on a very hot steel glass or cup, had a fall and bruised your lips, or worse, been hit on or near your mouth, your lips are likely to swell up. These usually subside in some time with the use of a cold pack or some anti-bruising or anti-swelling cream.

Note

However, if the injury is due to a serious accident or a sharp object like a knife cut, it is better to see a doctor. Also, if the bleeding doesn’t stop, other parts of your face get swollen and if the cut is large, visit your doctor immediately.

B. Sunburn Or Chapping

Your lips could also swell up if you lick your chapped lips to moisturise them, or if you are outdoors when the weather is too hot, dry, windy or cold.

C. Mucoceles

A cyst that comes from frequently biting the lips, or from an injury is known as a mucocele [1]. It causes damage to the salivary gland [2], where the liquid in the gland gets collected under the skin causing a bump. This gives the lips a swollen appearance.

D. Allergies

Several food items cause an allergic reaction, leading to swollen lips. This condition is also called oral allergy syndrome. It is triggered by certain foods and normally, the swelling reduces on its own in some time.

• Food items that people are allergic to and which can swell up your lips include peanuts, gluten (in wheat), tamarind, eggs, prawns, shellfish, soybean and peanuts. Other nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts or hazelnuts can also cause lips to swell up.
• If you are allergic to spices, herbs and pulses, they too can cause lips to swell up. Also, some kinds of peppers and spices like cumin, fennel (saunf), star anise, coriander, celery and parsley may cause lip swelling.
• Food allergies can not only cause lip swelling, but they can also trigger face swelling, nausea, dizziness, coughing etc.
• However, another allergic reaction that causes swollen lips is called Angioedema [3]. This can be triggered by a food item, allergy to pollen in the air or an insect bite like a bee sting or a wasp bite. Here, the face, tongue and lips swell up, making it difficult to speak.

Word of caution:

If the windpipe swells up due to Angioedema, it can be dangerous and immediate doctor intervention must be sought. If your lips swell up and turn blue; or if your skin and fingers also start turning blue along with difficulty in breathing, this condition is known as cyanosis [4]. See a doctor immediately.

E. Medications

Certain medications such as antibiotics and penicillin may cause allergic reactions in some people.[5] Similarly, if you are allergic to some particular medication, consumption of the same would cause discomfort.

2. Chronic Lip Swelling

A. Infections

An infection -- bacterial, viral or fungal -- can cause lips to swell up. If the skin of the lips gets very dry and cracked, it can get infected. This, in turn, may lead to pain, redness and even swelling. If you have any inflammatory skin condition, or an infection [cheilitis] [6], they can also cause lips to swell up.

An infection, commonly known as a cold sore (also known as the herpes simplex virus infection) [7], affects people and causes blisters on the lips.

Tumours, a deficiency of Vitamin B2 and even cosmetic surgery can cause lips to swell up. If lip implants or injections are not administered the right way, they can be a cause.

B. Inflammatory Conditions

Some inflammatory diseases that are fairly rare can cause lips to swell. All of them require expert and specialised medical attention. A condition that can cause swollen bumps on the upper lip is called granulomatous cheilitis [8].

The Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome [9] affects the upper lip, causing swelling. The lower lip tends to swell due to a condition called cheilitis glandularis [10]. It is inflammatory in nature and affects men more than women. It is also linked to lip cancer.

How To Treat Swollen Lips

Home Remedies

Depending on the cause of the swelling, you can use instant remedial measures to reduce the inflammation. According to Abhishikta Hati, Senior Product Development Executive At SkinKraft, “If the swollen lips are due to inflammation, a soothing lip balm can be helpful. Other anti-inflammatory ingredients like aloe vera, cucumber juice & edible oils like coconut oil can be applied to soothe your lips.”

However, if there is incessant bleeding, or the swelling hasn’t reduced in 24 hours, consult a doctor. Here are some effective and quick home remedies:

1. Salt Water Rinse

Though it may sting on an open cut, salt is actually considered a very good healing agent for lip injuries and other cuts to the mouth. That is because it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities that can clean the open wound and minimise the chances of a bacterial infection.

Make a solution with warm water and a spoonful of salt. Soak some cotton in it and apply on the injured or swollen part. Repeat till the swelling reduces. Even gargling with this solution by swirling it inside your mouth and then spitting it out can help reduce the chances of an infection.

2. Baking Soda

Make a paste of baking soda with water and apply it on the swollen lip. Leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing it off. You can repeat the process if the swelling doesn’t reduce.

Baking soda, like salt, has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory traits that can reduce swelling. The proportion for making the paste is 1:3 -- one teaspoon water and three teaspoons baking soda.

3. Turmeric Paste

Perhaps, the ingredient best known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities since ancient times is turmeric, or curcumin (a compound present in turmeric) [11]. Make a thick paste of turmeric powder and water, apply to the swollen area or open wound.

You can even mix turmeric with extra virgin coconut oil or olive oil and apply the paste. It is known to remove infections and reduce inflammation. Repeat as often as required till the swelling comes down.

4. Cold Compress

This is one of the most effective ways to treat swollen lips, especially if the cause is an injury. Wrap an ice pack in a towel and hold gently against the swollen area. If you don’t have an ice pack, take a bag of frozen peas or any other frozen vegetable from your freezer and use it instead.

5. Aloe Vera/Moisturiser

If you have swelling due to sunburn or dry chapped lips, aloe vera gel can soothe instantly. If you don’t have aloe vera, apply any moisturiser or lip balm to moisturise the skin. Pure ghee can also be used as a good option to moisturise sunburnt lips.

6. Warm Water

This helps to promote blood circulation in your body. Applying warm water on the affected area may help you cure your swollen lips. Besides, it can soothe the pain you might experience from the swelling.

Use a washcloth to do this therapy. Soak it in warm water. Make sure to wring out excess water from the washcloth. Place it on your lips for about 10 minutes and repeat it every hour if needed.

7. Honey

Honey has been known for its antibacterial properties for a long time. It has natural healing properties too. Apply honey on the affected area using a cotton ball. After 20 minutes, wash it off using cold water. You can do this twice or thrice a day.

8. Tea Tree Oil

If the swelling is due to an insect bite or infection, tea tree oil can work wonders. Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with a teaspoon of aloe vera gel and massage it on your lips for 1-2 minutes. After 10 minutes, wash it with cold water. You can repeat this twice a day.

Note:

If you have Mucoceles, it might require surgery to have it drained or removed.

Medical Treatments For Swollen Lips

• Depending on the reason for the swelling, medical treatments may be required. If you have swelling due to Angioedema, epinephrine [12] is usually recommended. It is safer to carry a one-time use syringe and the drug with you for emergencies.
• If an inflammatory condition causes the swelling, your doctor may recommend an anti-inflammatory medication that doesn’t contain steroids (NSAIDS) [13] or a corticosteroid [14] to bring down the swelling. The NSAID can also help if the swelling is due to an injury.
• In the case of an injury, if there is a lot of swelling and bleeding, the doctor will probably clean and bandage your wound. Stitching up the cut may not be an option. But medical treatment is definitely required for such lip swelling.

When To See A Doctor?

1. When your lip swelling doesn’t reduce within 24 hours; despite using localised home remedies or OTC medication.

2. In case your lip swelling is an allergic reaction to a food item and the underlying cause is Angioedema.

3. If you’ve had an injury or been in an accident, and the lips are swollen, accompanied by symptoms like pain, incessant bleeding, skin and tissue damage.

4. Cold sore related swollen lips, or if there is an infection building up, along with difficulty in breathing or swallowing, and the area around the lips feel numb.

5. When swelling was caused by a cut on your lips that is wider than 3 mm, due to a fall or an injury. First aid should be administered immediately to stem the bleeding. But it needs to be looked at by a doctor.

6. Lips are swollen due to an infection followed by symptoms like fever, vomiting or shivering.

7. If a bump or cystic acne is causing swelling on the lips, the dermatologist may have to check for lumps in your lips or any other growth.

How Long Does Lip Swelling Last?

If the cause for the lip swelling is Angioedema, it can last for anything from 24-48 hours. If the cause is minor, then the swelling should come down within a few hours. Any swelling that takes longer than 24 hours to come down, and is not caused by a chronic or more severe condition shouldn’t be ignored and must be looked at by a doctor.

Wrapping Up

There can be various reasons behind swollen lips. From an injury to an infection, an allergy or something worse, if your lips swell up and don't subside in a few hours, you need to have it treated accordingly. Depending on the cause, whether acute or chronic, you can treat it at home or seek medical help.

Begin By Knowing Your Skin