If you turn to Dr. Google for answers about your swollen face, you may read that the cause could be either a moisturizer that doesn’t jibe with your skin or a serious, life threatening condition.
Before you panic, educate yourself on what can cause your face to swell! A swollen facecanmean trouble if you ignore it.
Why is my face swollen?
If you’re dealing with a puffy mug, it’s best to consult a doctor to be safe. If you’re experiencing symptoms like trouble breathing, a low pulse rate, or slurred speech in addition to a swollen face, call 911.
Some possible reasons for a swollen face are:
14 face swelling causes and how to treat them
If your face is all puffed up, here are some possible reasons.
1. Allergic conjunctivitis
If your eyelids areredand swollen, you might be allergic to that cat you risked cuddling with or that hidden mold in your bathtub.
Allergic conjunctivitis(a type ofpink eye) is eye inflammation caused by an allergic reaction to a substance like:
If you have it, you might experience:
Allergic conjunctivitis treatment
If it persists after a day or two, head to the eye doctor.Treatmentsfor allergic conjunctivitis include:
2. Anaphylaxis
🚨 Time to hop off Google and call 911:Anaphylaxisis a medical emergency. 🚨
You might be having this potentially life threatening reaction to an allergen (such as afood, a medication, or a bug bite or sting) if you experience some or all of the following:
Anaphylaxis treatment
Symptoms tend to appear quickly and may escalate even more quickly, so it’s vital to seek emergency care ASAP. Medical professionals might treat the issue with:
If you or the person experiencing the attack has an epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen), use it as the package directs ASAP.
If someone has had anaphylaxis before, they have a higher risk of future reactions and should always carry an EpiPen as a precaution.
3. Angioedema
Angioedemais a type of allergic reaction that causes swelling that goes down deep within the skin. Common triggers include food, insect bites or stings, and medications.
Symptoms include:
Mild episodes of angioedema don’t always need treatment — but you should always avoid any known allergens to be as safe as possible.
Angioedema treatment
If you have moderate to severe symptoms, contact a doctor. Possible treatments include:
4. Broken nose
It’s no secret that a swift blow to the face can break your nose.
On top of breaking or cracking the bone or cartilage, the trauma can also causesymptomslike:
Broken nose treatment
If you’ve broken your nose, get medical attention ASAP. Treatment may include:
5. Cellulitis
Cellulitisis a serious infection that may require urgent care. It happens when bacteria or fungi enter through a crack or cut in your skin and may cause:
Cellulitis treatment
Because cellulitis can be life threatening without eventual treatment, contact a doctor if you think you have it. Red streaking and fever or chills accompanied by other symptoms may indicate a particularly serious infection.
To treat the condition, your doctor may:
6. Cushing’s syndrome
Cushing’s syndromeis a disorder that happens when your body makes too much of the hormone cortisol (aka the stress hormone). If you have Cushing’s syndrome, you might have:
Taking glucocorticoids in high doses commonly causes Cushing’s syndrome. Some tumors can also cause your body to overproduce cortisol.
Cushing’s syndrome treatment
If you think you might have Cushing’s syndrome, contact a doctor. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may include:
7. Medication allergy
You took some medicine in the hope of treating another condition — and suddenly you’re having an allergic reaction.
🚨PSA: Any reaction to medication or drugs is considered a medical emergency and may require urgent care.If you’re experiencing symptoms like trouble breathing, a low pulse rate, or slurred speech in addition to face swelling, call 911.🚨
Medications that may cause allergic reactions include:
Symptoms may start within days or weeks after taking a medication and may include:
Medication allergy treatment
Always contact a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms of amedication allergy. A severe response to medication could be a sign of anaphylaxis.
As in the case of other allergic reactions, a doctor may treat the condition with antihistamines or epinephrine.
Pro tip:If you have a known drug allergy, always let your doctor, dentist, pharmacist, and other relevant people know. You might also need to wear a medical bracelet to let others know of your allergy in case of an emergency.
8. Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidismoccurs when your thyroid is underactive. This means your thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones to regulate your body’s energy expenditure.
Possiblesymptomsof hypothyroidism include:
Hypothyroidism treatment
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, visit a doc for a diagnosis.
There’s currently no cure for hypothyroidism, but medications and lifestyle changes like the following may help you manage it:
9. Preeclampsia
Preeclampsiahappens when a pregnant person has high blood pressure, protein in their pee, and swelling. This typically occurs at least 20 weeks intopregnancybut may also happen earlier or even after the baby is born.
Preeclampsia isconsidered a medical emergency that may require urgent care.
10. Sinusitis
If your nasal passages feel more jammed up than rush hour traffic, you might havesinusitis. This infection can happen due to viruses, bacteria, or allergies.
Symptoms may vary in intensity and duration, depending on the cause. They might include:
Sinusitis treatment
If you think you have a sinus infection, contact a doctor. If you do have one, they might recommend some or all of the following:
11. Abscess or tooth infection
If your jawline is suddenly swollen, it could be due to atooth infection or abscess. These conditions happen due to trauma or tooth decay and may cause:
Abscess or tooth infection
If you think you might have anabscessed toothor infection, head to a dentist for a diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment may include:
12. Superior vena cava syndrome
Superior vena cava (SVC) syndromeis named after the SVC, the big vein that transports blood from your head, neck, and chest to your heart.
This vein may become blocked as a result of issues like:
SVC syndrome is serious and may cause symptoms like:
SVC syndrome treatment
If you think you might have SVC syndrome,seek emergency care. In some cases, it may be life threatening without treatment. Depending on the cause of the blockage, it may be treated with:
13. Actinomycosis
Actinomycosisis a rare, long-term bacterial infection. It sometimes happens due to dental infections or trauma to the face or mouth, which can cause bacteria to infect the face or intestines.
Possible symptoms include:
Actinomycosis treatment
If you think you might have actinomycosis, contact a doctor. The condition is typically treated with antibiotics.
Styesare bumps that typically happen as a result of bacteria buildup or blockages in your eye’s oil glands, which can cause a reaction on your eyelid.
Symptoms may include:
Stye treatment
Most styes are harmless and will go away without treatment. But since they could possibly indicate something more serious, it’s still not a bad idea to head to a doc.
Treating the stye itself may involve:
What does it look like? Swollen face pictures
Still not sure what the deal is with your swollen face? These photos might help.
Do you really need to see a doctor ASAP?
Trick question — the answer is always yes.
Since a lot of reactions have overlapping symptoms, it can be tricky to know just how serious your swollen face is. In general, it’s better to seek medical care ASAP in case of emergency, especially if you have allergies or are pregnant.
If you or someone you know experiences symptoms of anaphylaxis, call 911 right away and use an EpiPen if you have one.
At-home treatments for swollen face
Most face swelling sitches require a visit to the doc or even emergency care. In some cases, though, a little at-home TLC might do the trick or help ease swelling after a doctor visit.
If you’re not sure, a quick call or online visit with a doctor might help you determine if you can safely stay home.
In the event of a non-emergency or after you’ve had an initial medical visit, at-home remedies like the following might help relieve pain and discomfort:
Always contact a doctor if you have face swelling that lasts more than a few days.
Can you prevent a swollen face?
Sure, you’ve heard it over and over, but prevention really is the best medicine. Doing the following can help you avoid probs before they start:
There are lots of potential face swelling causes, including allergic reaction, injury, and infection. While some cases are mild and may go away on their own, others can be very serious and might require emergency care.
Consult a doctor if you have face swelling, especially if it lasts for more than a few days.
Call 911 if you have trouble breathing, a low pulse rate, dizziness, or slurred speech in addition to a swollen face.
