Swollen, red, chapped, peeling lips - Allergy??

[North of Mouse]

My DH is suffering for a second time in 6 months from waking to red painfully swollen lips - looks like plastic surgery gone bad It lasted about 6 weeks last time. His Dr. doesn't have a clue and no new foods have been ingested! Anyone out there ever heard of this, and what did you do to ease the discomfort and problem? Our luck - we have been out of town both times - the first time was in Disney.

 

[bellaally]

It sounds like an allergic reaction or an insect bite. Once I woke up with swollen lips and it looked like plastic surgery. I noticed a spider bite marking. Now if your kid is allergic to spiders or if its a more dangerous type. Also just because they have eaten the food before doesn't mean you can't develop an allergy. Does Benadryl make it better?

 

[Costumesaremylife]

Did you get new pillows or anything?

 

[Gorechick]

Did you switch toothpaste?

 

[North of Mouse]

Thanks for all the suggestions, but no to all the things mentioned that may have been changed. I have looked at online message boards and everyone else has the same symptoms with no life changes (or bites). When we get home he will go to get tested for allergies, but we really don't think that's *it* because so many others mentioned going through the testing and nothing showing up - really weird

 

[set1208]

I get cold sores that make my lips itchy and peel and swell. Maybe it's something viral like that? Good luck!

 

[ZeroMyHero]

Does your DH use lip balm? I recently developed an allergy to an ingredient in the lip balm I've used for decades. I had to use Baby Aquaphor for a few months to heal them. The lanolin in that ointment is really good for sensitive skin. Anyway, after some trial and error, I found a new lip balm with ingredients I'm not allergic to (so far, anyway). I don't have any other allergies to anything, so it never occurred to me that I could become allergic to something I've used for years and years. Just a thought - hope he feels better soon.

 

[mousefan5]

Did you husband's lips get sunburned? This summer I was on a weeklong bike trip and the first couple days I did not apply sunscreen to my lips. It was the most awful thing I had experienced in a long time. The only thing that helped was a lip balm to help with the pain and ibrofen.

 

[Samar]

I 2nd the idea of sunburn. I got sunburnt lips twice this summer and had they not been so gross looking, Angelina Jolie would've ha a run for her money

 

[Missy13d69]

If he hasn't had any other symptoms, I'm betting it's sunburn, or he was eating a lot of salty foods previous to the outbreaks. The skin on the lips is very sensitive and can be burnt by salt. Couple that with the fact that eating salty foods can often cause you to lick your lips, which dries lips out even more, and you have a nice little cocktail of lip pain. For me, tortilla chips are the worst. If you discover that this could be the problem, just have him slather on some lip protecting lip balm before consuming anything salt covered, and avoid lip licking.

 

[mommy2paisley]

Could it be thrush?

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I get swollen lips (really really swollen and it has been in all different environments) The doctors swear it was allergies but it was hives. Stress related hives. I took benedryl to get the swelling to try and go down but it really didnt work well, all that worked for the most part was time. Doctors swore that it was not stress related but since the stress has been removed I have had no more swelling. A few times it was my lips, then a few other times my eyes...

 

[North of Mouse]

OP here - we are home and my dh has an appointment with an allergist, but we are not optimistic at all from the reports of others with same condition.

It is definitely not stress related, not sunburn, lip balm, nor no new foods introduced anytime near the two times he has had the problems. The condition waxes and wans, but lasts 6-8 wks. It is not contagious, but is very uncomfortable - burning, peeling, etc. - and the poor fellow looks like he has clown lips

Thanks again for replies

 

[Ginny Favers]

I know I am late to the party, but I just wanted to say that some tomato-based products, especially sun-dried tomatoes, do this to me... sometimes. I think it depends on whether they touch my lips while I'm eating them.

 

[aubriee]

OP here - we are home and my dh has an appointment with an allergist, but we are not optimistic at all from the reports of others with same condition.

It is definitely not stress related, not sunburn, lip balm, nor no new foods introduced anytime near the two times he has had the problems. The condition waxes and wans, but lasts 6-8 wks. It is not contagious, but is very uncomfortable - burning, peeling, etc. - and the poor fellow looks like he has clown lips

Thanks again for replies

I have a coworker who fought this exact same thing for over a year, before an allergist found she had suddenly developed several food allergies. All were to foods that she had always eaten (shellfish, tomatoes, some nuts, etc). They're not sure why she suddenly without any warning developed food allergies to foods she's always eaten. There wasn't anything new (no new foods, laundry detergents, linens, stress, etc).

 

[jazzpollard]

1.Use lip balm such as idol lips to promote healing and prevention of chapped lips. This is almost vital in the process of moisturizing your lips.

2.Ensure your body is not deficient in B vitamins, iron or essential fatty acids. These deficiencies can cause scaling of lips and cracking of lip corners. Take a multivitamin/mineral supplement after consultation with your physician.

3.Hydrate your body by drinking plenty of water. Dehydration can cause dryness of lips. Increase your water intake during winter to keep your lips looking fresh. You can also humidify the rooms to deal with winter dryness.
4.Rule out allergy to lipstick dyes.

 

[NinaBella]

You can develop food allergies at any age and the allergy may be to a food that you have eaten your entire life.

My son has sensitive skin and allergies. His eczema could break of from changing laundry detergents. Also hard water versus soft water could cause his eczema o flair up (visiting grandma's with different water). There are so many triggers that you may never find the exact one.

 

[tina.tina]

I've heard that it's more common than you think for someone to suddenly become allergic to food they've eaten their entire lives with no issues.

Since others have mentioned cold sores, I suddenly started having cold sores after DS who was 4 then got one (we think from a daycare worker). A co-worker told me that Carmex has always healed and prevented hers more than any OTC medicine ever did. I started using Carmex and haven't had one in years.

 

[robinb]

Two year old zombie thread bumped by newbie. What ever happened to your DH North of Mouse?

 

[SamSam]

Just noticed this thread was just revived but thought I would add my experience anyway. I've always had sensitive lips (yes, that sounds funny), trouble with sunburns, cold sores, etc. but the one time I had a condition that sounds similar to the Op's husband was after using a new tooth whitener. OH, MY! My upper lip looked liked a lip injection gone wrong, AND we were on our way for a week vacation. I just had to laugh and deal with it, but it was very uncomfortable.