Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAllergyAngioedemaAnaphylaxisInjuriesChapping or SunburnInfectionMucocelesLupusRare ConditionsWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Allergy
Angioedema
Anaphylaxis
Injuries
Chapping or Sunburn
Infection
Mucoceles
Lupus
Rare Conditions
When to Seek Medical Care
Treatment will depend on the cause and may include home remedies or medical care in serious cases.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
Allergies
Several types of allergies may cause swollen lips.
Environmental allergies:People may be allergic to substances in the environment, such as pollen, mold spores, dust, pet dander, and cockroaches.
Oral allergy syndrome (OAS): When you have this type of allergy, certain foods trigger a tingling mouth and allergic inflammation.OAS is rarely serious. Reactions usually resolve on their own within an hour.
Allergic contactcheilitis(ACC):This is anallergic contact dermatitisthat may cause swelling and inflammation of the lips. Ingredients in lipsticks or other cosmetics for the lips may be an irritant or allergen for some people.
Drug allergies:Sometimes medications cause an immune response in the body that produces an allergic reaction. Common drugs that can cause an allergic reaction include drugs to treat seizures, insulin (especially animal sources), iodine contrast dyes used for imaging tests, penicillin, penicillin-related antibiotics, and sulfa drugs.
Symptoms of angioedemausually appear rapidly and may include:
The swelling may make it hard to talk or even breathe.
Angioedema emergencies can be treated withepinephrine. This drug helps the muscles in your airway relax so you can breathe.
Once you’ve had this type of reaction, you should carry an EpiPen (a multi-use epinephrine auto-injector). Symjepi is a single-dose option. Have one of these medications on hand at all times.
Like angioedema, one of the symptoms ofanaphylaxiscan be swelling of the face, tongue, and mouth. Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs when some people are exposed to foods, insect stings, medications, and latex.
Anaphylaxis is an emergency condition and treatment requires medical attention right away.
Trauma to the face or lips can cause swelling. This might happen if you:
In minor cases, the injury can be cleaned and the swelling controlled with antiseptic cream and applying ice cubes or acold packto the lips.It will usually resolve in a few days.
With larger cuts, it’s important to get medical care within 24 hours to getstitches.If the injury is older than 24 hours, your healthcare provider can clean and examine the wound but will have to repair the wound later—especially if it’s very swollen or there’s a risk of infection.
If you have stitches close to your lips, it’s important to:
See your healthcare provider if you have a cut on your lip that is:DeepContinuing to bleed after 15 minutes of direct pressureCausing a lot of painLarger than 1/4 inch (6 mm)
See your healthcare provider if you have a cut on your lip that is:
Very chapped lips or sunburned lips may become swollen. Your lips may sunburn right along with the rest of your skin. Your lips can get chapped or sunburned if you:
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Is Your Infection Serious?Signs of a serious skin infectioninclude:A fever over 100.4 FIncreasing pain, tenderness, and swellingChanges in skin texture or colorPus drainageIf you have any of these symptoms, see your healthcare provider or get urgent medical care.
Is Your Infection Serious?
Signs of a serious skin infectioninclude:A fever over 100.4 FIncreasing pain, tenderness, and swellingChanges in skin texture or colorPus drainageIf you have any of these symptoms, see your healthcare provider or get urgent medical care.
Signs of a serious skin infectioninclude:
If you have any of these symptoms, see your healthcare provider or get urgent medical care.
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Mucoceles(mucous cysts) are cysts that form afteryou bite your lipor have an injury that damages asalivary gland.They’re not a serious health problem, but they can be bothersome.
Mucoceles are most common on the inner surface of the lips, inside the cheeks, or on the underside of the tongue. They vary in appearance, but they usually look like bumps rather than generalized swelling.
These cysts typically go away on their own. If they don’t, or if they interfere with things like talking or eating, you can have them surgically removed or lanced (sliced open) and drained.
Rarely, people diagnosed with the autoimmune diseasesystemic lupus erythematosus(lupus)may have swelling specific to the lips, which can become chronic. Fortunately, treating the lupus flare should bring lip swelling and any other symptoms under control.
Some rare conditions can also cause swollen lips.
There isn’t a cure for these conditions, so treatment focuses on relieving symptoms. For Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome treatment may include:
For granulomatous cheilitis, treatment may include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You should see a healthcare provider about your swollen lip(s) if:
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Summary
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Eczema Association.5 environmental allergies (and how to manage them).
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology: Allergist.Pollen food allergy syndrome.
Lahouel I, Trimeche K, Smida S, et al.Recurrent cheilitis revealing contact allergy to a lipstick. J of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2024;23(3):1099-1100. doi:
Penn Medicine.Drug allergy.
Penn Medicine.What is angioedema?
National Health Service.Angioedema.
Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
Stanford Medicine.Cuts and wounds of the mouth and lips.
Kaiser Permanente.Cuts: When Stitches Are Needed.
Kaiser Permanente.Lip Laceration: Care Instructions.
Nikoo A, Daneshpazhooh M, Fahim S, Ghanadan A, Mahmoudi H, Izadi Firoozabadi L.Persistent lip enlargement: An unusual presentation of lupus erythematosus.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2016;3(2):96-99. Published 2016 Dec 22. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2016.11.005
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome.
Medscape.Cheilitis granulomatosa clinical presentation.
Critchlow WA, Chang D.Cheilitis granulomatosa: a review. Head Neck Pathol. 2014 Jun;8(2):209-13. doi: 10.1007/s12105-013-0488-2
UpToDate.Assessment and management of lip lacerations.
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