swollen, chapped lips

I have had swollen lips for 3 weeks. My Dr. checked to see if it was viral. He said it's definitely an allergy. I've been taking 2 kinds of antihistamines and a steroid. The condition reduces with the medication but reappears whenever I stop taking it. I think it's an allergy to hair dye. I noticed a similar reaction to black hair dye 5 days after I dyed it, my scalp was swollen and irritated and my eyes and lips were swollen. Then it continued to spread as a small red rash down my arms and legs for the next couple of months. This time, my scalp wasn't as affected but my upper lip swelled after about 4 days and has basically gotten worse to the point of swelling 2-3 times their size. When they're not swollen they get red and weep and peel. Should I keep taking the medication? I'm kind of afraid to stop because I have a couple of times when the reaction subsided but it has always returned in a day or 2 with a vengeance. Is there some way to flush this allergy out of my system?


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