Swollen itchy lips with bumps

My 16 year old son woke up one morning with slighty swollen lips that were itchy with tiny little bumps on them. This is the first time this has happened and he hadn't taken any medicine or eaten anything out the ordinary. He hadn't used any lip balm or put anything on his lips. What could this be? He hasnt' been sick. Is this something that could be contagious?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Unexplained swelling of the lip without any predisposing disease is frequently caused by allergies. An allergic reaction can occur suddenly, even in a person with no previous history of allergy. This swelling is called angioedema. It is the rapid swelling (edema) of the dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa and submucosal tissues. Diagnosis is by clinical examination and complete blood tests, electrolytes and renal function tests. Treatment is by antihistaminics and steroids.

I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.