pimple and swollen lip

[avery346]

i woke up this morning and there was a small cluster of 3 zits and my lip was very swollen. what could this be? i am afraid that it might be oral herpes, but the lesions look nothing like what a herpes outbreak should look like.

please answer

[avery346]

they look no different than normal pimples, the only difference is that my lip swelled up this time. could this just be an infected zit? also, i do have mild acne right now.

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

If there was no truma to the lip, this could be an irritation, infection or dermatitis. Perioral dermatitis is a common facial skin problem that presents with groups of itchy or tender small red papules/bumps appear most often around the mouth. This usually responds to antibiotic treatment.  If it persists or other symptoms are present, have this evaluated further by your doctor for proper management. If there is a possibility of oral herpes, a blood test for antibodies may also be done.Try to keep the area clean and dry and avoid manipulating the lesion to prevent secondary infection.

Take care and keep us posted.