Swollen lips are a common condition that can happen to anyone at any time. There are various factors that can cause your lips to be swollen. The most common reasons are fluid build-up in the lips, some kind of inflammation or even an allergic reaction. However, apart from these common causes, your lips may also be swollen due to dehydration or dryness, some kind of viral infection or just by some insect bite.
Sometimes the swelling of the lips due to allergy can be caused by foods that you eat like peanuts, eggs and soy etc. or by some specific drugs like NSAIDs, antibiotics or cancer drugs (if you are undergoing treatment for cancer) or even by some poor quality lip care products. Even environmental allergies are a common cause behind lip swelling. Dust, pollen, pet dander or spores can swell your lips, if you are allergic to it. Often, injuries also cause swelling in the lips. If you bite your lips mistakenly or cut your lips or your lips are injured due to a fall or some other accident, you can have swollen lips. Whatever the causes of your swollen lips are, this condition can make drinking, eating, opening your mouth or simply talking difficult.
Reducing Swelling of the Lips
Though pouted, full and plump lips are every girl’s desire, an unnaturally swollen lip is not something that anyone would want. They are painful, troublesome and also, make you look weird. Therefore, it is important to reduce the swollenness of your lips as soon as possible.
Certainly the cause of the swelling plays a very important role in reducing the swollen lip. If you know what has caused the lip swelling then the treatment becomes easier. However, sometimes, you need to take care of the swelling of the lips with some additional remedies. They are mostly home remedies that will easily heal your condition.
How to Reduce Swelling of the Lips?
Mostly, home remedies are more useful for reducing the swelling of the lips. There are a few medicines that are also quite useful and often recommended by the doctors if you have swollen lips. These include over-the-counter antihistamines that can reduce the inflammation caused by any kind of allergic reaction. If the lip swelling is causing pain, the over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs are also quite useful.
However, rather than the medicines, the home remedies for swollen lips are more helpful and do not come with any side effects. These include:
Cold Compress or Ice Compress
One of the best and most effective ways to reduce the swelling of your lips is the cold compress or ice compress. If your lips are injured, have cuts or bruises or have been hurt during piercing or even there is oral herpes, an ice compress can effectively reduce the swelling.
Warm Compress
If you dampen a piece of cloth with some warm water and then put a warm compress on the swollen lips, it will reduce the swelling of your lips by increasing blood circulation in the region. As a contrast to cold compress, this is also an interesting approach to treating swollen lips. Not just this, it will also reduce the pain that is caused by the swelling.
Aloe Vera to Reduce Swelling of the Lips
Fresh aloe vera gel has anti-inflammatory properties. If the cause of your lip swelling is an allergic reaction, aloe vera is very helpful in reducing your lip swelling. You can apply fresh aloe vera gel on your lips and massage gently for 2 to 3 times a day and it will heal the swelling.
Turmeric
Turmeric has an antiseptic property and therefore it is used in a number of antiseptic ointments. So, if you treat your lips with turmeric ointments, it will surely help. To make the effect faster and more helpful for reducing lip swelling, you can add turmeric to fuller’s earth and make it a paste with some cold water and apply it on the swollen lips. As it dries, you can wash it off with lukewarm water. Repeating this process 2 to 3 times a day will help.
Honey to Reduce Lip Swelling
Sometimes, swelling of the lips is the result of an infection. In that case, applying honey on the swelling will help in the healing process because of the antibacterial properties of honey. If you dab some honey on a cotton ball and apply it on the swollen lips and let it set for about 20 minutes and then wipe it off, it will gradually heal the swelling. You must repeat this process for at least a few times a day for a few days, until you find results.
Black Tea Bags
Black tea bags are often used to treat a number of swellings in the body, especially the swelling under the eyes. Black tea has a great astringent property because of a special component called tannis that is contained by black tea. If you brew a black tea bag in some water, then cool it down and keep it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool it further and then apply it on the swollen lips, it will help in reducing the swelling. Just make sure that the tea bag is cool and you apply the bag on the lips for at least 10 minutes every time and for quite a number of times every day for best results and faster healing.
Baking Soda Can be Useful Remedy for Reducing the Swelling of the Lips
This home remedy may sound strange to many people, but in reality, baking soda works wonders in treating swollen lips, especially the lower lip. Also, if the cause of the swelling is a blister from some kind of fever or an allergic reaction or an insect bite, applying baking soda will prove to be really helpful. You just have to make a thick paste by mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with a few drops of water and apply it on the swelling of the lips and let it sit for a few minutes. You can rinse it off with cold water. Repeat this a few times a day for a few days and you will find that the swelling has subsided.
Apple Cider Vinegar as an Amazing Home Remedy for Reducing Swelling of the Lips
Apple cider vinegar is a very commonly used ingredient in different kinds of home remedies due to its various healing properties. For treating lip swelling, it can prove to be very useful as apple cider vinegar has the ability to reduce any kind of inflammation. The application is very simple. You just have to dilute the intensity of the vinegar by mixing equal parts of water with it and then dab it with a cotton ball on the swollen lip. Rinse it with cold water after a few minutes. Try this home remedy at least two times a day for maximum results.
Coconut Oil for Reducing Swelling of Lips
Coconut oil is a blessing for home remedies. It has many healing properties. Its antimicrobial properties can treat various skin diseases and problems that are caused by fungus, virus or bacteria. Rubbing pure coconut oil lightly on the swollen lips will absorb all these microbes and impurities from the skin. Applying this regularly will improve the condition and heal the swelling.
Tea Tree Oil
Another magic element that is used for a number of home remedies is the tea tree oil. However, tea tree oil is very strong in its effects. So, it is better to mix a little tea tree oil with some aloe vera gel to reduce the strong and harsh effects of tea tree oil. Apply this mix on the swollen lips and then after a few minutes wash it off with cold water. After a few days of application, it will reduce the swelling of the lips.
However, before you choose the remedy, it is better to find out what has caused the swelling. This will help you to choose the right remedy for the problem.