What should you know about face and lips swollen?

Swelling may develop suddenly or gradually. It can follow food, a medicine, an insect sting, a cosmetic product, dental work, or local injury. Angioedema is deeper swelling that often affects the lips, eyelids, face, tongue, or throat and may occur with hives or without them. Pain, warmth, redness, fever, or pus points toward infection and needs medical review. The trigger and accompanying symptoms are more useful than swelling alone.

Stop a newly introduced food, medicine, or cosmetic only if a healthcare professional has advised that it is safe to do so, and record what happened and when. Avoid rubbing the area and do not apply unfamiliar creams. If you have a prescribed emergency allergy plan, follow it. Arrange prompt medical advice for new or unexplained swelling, especially when it returns or follows a medicine.

Call emergency services immediately for swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, voice change, dizziness, faintness, or rapidly worsening symptoms. Facial swelling with severe pain, fever, eye pain, or vision change also needs urgent assessment. Do not wait to see whether airway symptoms settle.

Share every medicine, supplement, food, bite, procedure, and product used before the swelling began. Ask whether this could be [Angioedema](/conditions/angioedema/), whether you need an allergy plan, and which medicines should be avoided.