Swelling of Lips

Swollen Lip Causes One of the possible causes of a swollen lip is the use of cosmetic products to which the soft skin tissue of the lips is allergic. An allergic reaction may also occur due to eating certain kinds of foods or due to exposure to irritants in present in the external environment. Often, a virus called herpes simplex is also responsible for swollen lips, especially if your immune system is weak due to ordinary ailments like common cold. If you have a cold sore, the herpes simplex virus can also be transmitted to your body from close physical contact with an already infected person. Also, during winter lips tend to get naturally dehydrated, as a result of which the person feels like licking her/his lips frequently, which can cause swelling. The deficiency of vitamin B in the diet may also be responsible for this condition. Home Remedies to Treating Swollen Lip However, you might find a few simple home remedies useful in treating swollen lips. Try to determine the cause of the problem. If it is a persistent or recurrent problem, chances are that the swollen lips are an allergic reaction to some foreign substance in your immediate environment. Change all your bed linen and curtains and keep a tab on what you eat and drink. Stay away from cheese, butter, refined wheat flour, manufactured foodstuff containing additives, nuts and figs, tea and coffee. You should also drink plenty of water, as this keeps your lips well hydrated and reduces swelling. Application of hot water on the swollen lips is also helpful in reducing swelling and pain. Soak some cotton wool or a piece of soft cotton cloth in a cup of hot water and dab your swollen lip with this wet cloth for around 10 minutes thrice every day. You can alternate this treatment by massaging the swollen lip very gently with a few ice cubes tied in a towel. These warm and cold compresses help reduce the swelling in a couple of days. Another easy remedy for swollen lips is to wet your finger and put it in a jar of common salt, and then rub the finger gently across the lip. Salt acts as a natural disinfectant and kills any germs that might be responsible for causing the swelling. You could also apply aloe vera gel or the juice of the leaves of this plant on the swollen lip every night before going to bed. Aloe vera has natural soothing properties that relieve inflammation. v