If you have ever had a fat lip, you understand how painful and embarrassing it can be. It can make it hard to talk, eat, open your mouth, or drink, and it may be accompanied by cuts and bleeding. There are plenty of prescribed or over-the-counter medicines that treat lip injuries. However, you can get rid of your pain and heal your lip quickly with several natural home remedies.
You are likely to exhibit several symptoms and signs when your lip is swollen. The symptoms could indicate numerous possible causes, and they could be mild to extreme. As a matter of fact, since some of the causes share similar symptoms, if you want to unearth the actual cause, you sometimes need to do differential diagnoses of a swollen upper or lower lip. Here are some of the most common signs:
Of course, these are not all the signs and symptoms. Depending on the actual cause of your random lip swelling, there are a number of others. Make sure you seek immediate medical attention if you have extreme symptoms, including tight throat, too much distress, fingernail discoloration (turning blue), rash and hives, tongue swelling, or breathing difficulties.
Whether it is during the day, after eating some food, or in the morning, there are several reasons why your lips swell, even though many people believe their lips swell for no reason whatsoever. In this sections, you will learn what causes swollen lips.
Both upper and bottom lips are susceptible to swelling from pimples or acne. This is particularly true if you have cystic acne, which tends to be painful and bigger and one of the swollen lips causes.
Injuries, surgeries, and trauma are the most common causes of fat lips. This includes Botox, dental braces injuries, kissing, piercings, lip surgery, playing musical instruments, Restylane injections, burning from hot foods or drinks, biting your lip, dental procedures, being hit by a blunt object, and so on.
When you stay out in the sun for too long, your lips are likely to blister, crack, and swell. Your lips might also swell when you are exposed to very windy, cold, and dry conditions.
The body naturally defends itself against any kind of chemical released by bug stings or bites by triggering inflammation of certain tissues. These stings and bites are usually harmless.
Another common cause of swelling is stomatitis and other lip infections. For example, some infections that will cause your lips to enlarge are angioedema, type 1 herpes simplex (cold sores or fever blisters), cheilitis, and canker sores.
Your swollen lip may also have come from an allergic reaction. The potential allergens are wide and varied, such as pet dander, food, lip care products, some medicines, latex, and more. There are usually other symptoms accompanying allergies, like watery eyes, runny nose, swollen eyes or face, and other issues. How do you know what you are allergic to? You might be allergic to a certain food if your lip swells after eating it. You must then avoid eating that food item and get the right treatment.
Hives or urticaria is yet another possible cause of the swelling. This is essentially a type of severe allergic reaction that is characterized by a skin rash that is distinguished by its raised, itchy, pale red bumps. It can affect your lips as well as other body parts.
If you have a swollen lip after shaving or waxing, you may have an ingrown hair. Other less common causes for your lip problems may include a blood transfusion reaction, lip cancer, eczema, herpangina, organ failure, myxedema, and others.
Here are the top twelve natural remedies for swollen lips that you can use today:
Apply a cold compress the moment you notice your lip is swelling. This is often recommended by professional lip piercers to help reduce the swelling associated with that procedure. What is a cold compress? First, wrap some ice in a washcloth or paper towel. In a pinch, a cold spoon or a bag of frozen vegetables will also work.
The cold compress should be applied gently to the swollen area for ten minutes at a time and repeated as necessary until the swelling goes down. Avoid applying the ice to your lip directly, or you may have to deal with mild frostbite or soreness.
When it comes to treating skin ailments, organic coconut oil is a superstar. While absorbing all of the impurities from your skin’s pores, its antimicrobial properties eliminate any harmful fungi, viruses, or bacteria. It also keeps the skin supple and nourished and is a great emollient. Massage a few drops of coconut oil on your lips, and let it sit for a couple of hours. If the swelling continues, repeat the application.
Apple cider vinegar reduces the swelling from inflammation and edema. Plus, it serves as an antiseptic. How to make a swollen lip go down using apple cider vinegar: mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water, and apply it to your lip using a cotton ball. Leave it there for about two minutes. Then, rinse it off with cool water. This can be done two times daily.
The many anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera gel are quite effective in reducing the burning sensation along with swelling from a fat lip. This remedy is ideal for swelling caused by allergic reactions or insect bites. Apply the gel to the affected area. To help the aloe vera absorb into the lip, massage the area gently. Reapply the gel up to three times throughout the day.
Black tea has a variety of healing properties, including a compound called tannin. Tannins are known for having great astringent qualities that are known to decrease the swelling in the soft tissue of the lips. Before you start rubbing tea on your puffy lip, you should soak the black tea bag in warm water for around ten minutes.
Take the tea bag out of the water and let it cool. A hot tea bag could potentially irritate your lip even more. Once it is cool, apply it over the swollen area gently for another ten minutes. For quick results, you can do this many times a day.
You can use salt to get rid of your enlarged lip if it is caused by some kind of cut. As a natural disinfectant, salt will kill the germs that may cause the cut to become infected. Do not simply rub salt into the wound. Instead, dissolve one tablespoon of salt in a cup of lukewarm water. Dab the solution gently on the cut using a cotton ball. You may feel a little burning, but this will bring down swelling and heal the cut. Repeat one or two times daily.
The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of tea tree oil make it another effective remedy for lip swelling caused by a cut. Use coconut oil or olive oil to dilute the tea tree oil. To keep your lip disinfected and moist, apply it for about 30 minutes before rinsing it off. A few drops of tea tree oil can also be mixed with a teaspoon of aloe vera and massaged into the affected area. Do not apply undiluted tea tree oil, and never use tea tree oil on kids.
Another treatment for swollen lips is a hot compress. It will reduce the accumulation of blood in the swollen area and improve the blood flow to the lips. This will bring the inflammation down. You can create a warm compress by using a heating pad or soaking a washcloth in warm water and wringing out the excess water. The compress should be applied to the lip for ten minutes. Alternate between hot and cold compresses for best results.
Witch hazel is excellent for soothing the pain, cleaning the cut, and reducing the swelling of your lip. Combine a half tablespoon of salt with one tablespoon of witch hazel. Apply the mixture to your lip using a cotton ball. Let the mixture stay there for about half an hour. Then, rinse it off with cold water. You can repeat this as often as you want until your lip improves.
To quickly and effectively treat a busted lip, consider employing the antibacterial and natural healing powers of honey. It will prevent infection, keep your lips well moisturized, and reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation. First, dip a cotton ball in honey, apply it to the enlarged lip, leave it there for around 20 minutes, and rinse the lip with cold water. You can repeat this process two or three times per day.
Turmeric is a great home remedy because it helps with healing and is antiseptic, which will prevent infection. Turmeric powder is ideal for making an herbal ointment. To make the ointment, you mix a little turmeric powder with fuller’s earth (to remove the color) and cold water to make a paste. Spread it on the affected lip. Let is dry for a while before cleaning the lips with tepid water. To get rid of swelling and pain, do this twice a day.
If your busted lip is caused by a fever blister, insect bite, or an allergic reaction, you should try treating it with baking soda. It will decrease the inflammation along with the pain. Start by making a thick paste by mixing one teaspoon of water with a tablespoon of baking soda. Put the paste on the swollen area. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then remove it with cold water. Until the swelling goes away, you should repeat this three times per day.
If you try some of the above home remedies, and you are still experiencing persistent inflammation of the lips, you should meet with your health care professional immediately. You may have a deeper issue.
The complications associated with enlarged lips can be progressive and depend on the root cause. Failure to seek treatment can result in permanent damage and complications because the swelling could be a symptom of a serious disease.
When you experience unusual symptoms related to your lips, such as discoloration or swelling, it is crucial that you contact your doctor. When you have a diagnosis and are following a treatment plan set out by your medical professional, you can reduce the chance of complications, like tissue removal, deformity, the spread of infection, or respiratory arrest.
There are several factors that will go into determining how long it will take your fat lip to go down, such as the severity of the affected area of the lips, performed or taken treatments, and the cause of the swelling. The healing time can range from less than a day for some insect bites to several months in the case of cosmetic surgery.
The most common foods that cause swollen lips are certain types of fruits and vegetables, including bananas, avocados, melons, apples, and pineapples. The oral allergy is less common when these foods are cooked.
This is a tricky question. The obvious answer is to avoid the activity that caused your injury in the first place, but this is not always possible, especially if it was due to an accident. However, if you can avoid the source of your fat lip, do so. Otherwise, learn to detect when swelling is starting and immediately use one of the above effective natural remedies.
