Face swelling - halp.

[RD]

I got a severe sunburn a couple days ago, and I'm very concerned with how my face is reacting.

The area around my forehead, nose bridge and eyes is so swollen I can barely see. My eyes are tiny beady dots surrounded by puffy flesh. It's been like this for a day and a half, and is MUCH worse after I wake up.

I've been putting cold compresses on it, but it hasn't been doing much. is there anything else I can do to help reduce the swelling? It's hideous and embarrassing, lol!

 

[Lyzelle]

Aloe Vera and an anti-inflammatory like Advil?

...No clue, but I've been there. It's terrible. I feel for you!

 

[Renee750il]

Sounds like you've got what they call sun poisoning around here. I'd never heard of it before we moved here, but evidently it's a fairly commonly known reaction. http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/sun-poisoning?page=2

About the best possible thing you can do is drink LOTS of water and use cool compresses and plenty of moisture. Stay away from oils as long as your skin still feels hot though. Run a chilled cucumber and avocado through the blender with some honey and use it as a masque.

 

[Moth]

You can also try some aloe gel, it might help soothe things a bit.

 

[JessLough]

Yep, sun poisoning. I got it on my knees, and they swelled -- bad. Get to a doctor, you need antibiotics, and be sure to keep drinking lots of water, even if you don't feel thirsty. It's the dehydration that makes it deadly.

 

[RD]

Ugh if i'm going to have to go to the doctor, I'm going to cry. I have no money, still looking for a job.

I don't have advil, will tylenol do the same thing or would an ibuprofen-type drug be better?

 

[Lyzelle]

Paracetamol/acetaminophen/tylenol will help with the pain, but it doesn't have any anti-inflammatory properties to it, unfortunately. You'd need an NSAID.

ETA: Asprin or Aleve (naproxen) are NSAIDs if you have those on hand, though.

 

[yoko]

I've had it happen once. But I was way miserable for longer than I should have been with it because I didn't go to the doctor. Doctor would be your best bet to be back up to normal the fastest.

It was right after I graduated so it's been a long time. I just remember keeping ice packs on it. Not really because it made it feel better but just because it made it not feel at all if that makes sense.

 

[Renee750il]

Ugh if i'm going to have to go to the doctor, I'm going to cry. I have no money, still looking for a job.

I don't have advil, will tylenol do the same thing or would an ibuprofen-type drug be better?

ibuprofen or plain old aspirin (cheap) would be better than tylenol. Tylenol won't help with the swelling, and that's really where most of the discomfort comes from.

Compresses of water and alcohol should help too. The biggest part is PLENTY of water, and of you've got some sea salt around, put a little sea salt and lemon in the water.

 

[Kat09Tails]

Ditto on the Doctor visit. Even if you have to make up a name and go sit in an ER - you need to see someone - especially since we're talking about your face.

I got sun poisoning a few years ago. I put off going to a doctor for a few days and finally by the time I went it was HORRIBLE. I couldn't hear or see out of left side because of the swelling.

 

[Psyfalcon]

Yep, sun poisoning. I got it on my knees, and they swelled -- bad. Get to a doctor, you need antibiotics, and be sure to keep drinking lots of water, even if you don't feel thirsty. It's the dehydration that makes it deadly.

Uhh. What is an antibiotic going to do for skin reaction that as far as I can tell has nothing to do with a bacteria?

 

[Kaydee]

I go with the idea of going to the ER...red hair and blue eyes I speak from experience. A bad sunburn is red and hot and hurts. But when you have swelling thats a whole nother story...and it's your eyes and face...can't fool around with that. Compresses and aloe vera lotion feel good, keep the lotion in the fridge even better...n absolutely stay out of strong sun in the meantime.

 

[smkie]

I am so sorry Rd. Nothing to add that hasn't been already said, if you were my daughter I would find a way to come up with doctor money. You really should go.
Many vibes that this passes quickly and you can get back to normal.

 

[JessLough]

Uhh. What is an antibiotic going to do for skin reaction that as far as I can tell has nothing to do with a bacteria?

Uhh. When you have something like (a bad case of - which this sounds like it is) sun poisoning, especially on your face, it makes you very susceptible to infection, and most of the time leads to blisters/cuts open to infection.

As I said in my post, that's from what I went through/am going through.

 

[RedHotDobe]

I've had that happen before. My whole face swelled up, including my eyelids. I was miserable. I never went to see a doctor, I just slathered aloe vera gel on it very frequently. Certainly not what I'd do if the same thing happened now, but I was young and didn't care. I think I was fine after about a week or two.

 

[Renee750il]

One of the things honey will do is help allay possible infection.

 

[Lyzelle]

I don't think there's much a Doc would do anyway, except maybe provide a stronger anti-inflammatory or hook you up with an IV if you're majorly dehydrated. Unless you're in shock or experiencing sunstroke.

As far as antibiotics...I've never heard of a secondary infection due to severe sunburn. Unless you're shoving nasty fingers in blister pockets or immune compromised, I doubt it's really that much of a concern.

 

[Renee750il]

If you use a lot of antibiotics you're often more open to infections as your own immune system tends to get "lazy," so I can see where, in some cases, it could happen, but no way would I want to start throwing antibiotics at something until there were really needed.

Take that, though, with the caveat that I haven't had an antibiotic in probably close to 15 years.

 

[darkchild16]

nice COLD compress/shower, PLAIN aloe not the green colored stuff, stay out of the sun and do NOT itch it. Drink plenty of fluids Powerade/Gatorade. ALSO no makeup, no exfoliating, no scented lotions. NOTHING. Keep your face as clean as possible with everything as GENTLE as possible.

Take a tshirt or something out of that material. Get it damp and wring it out then put it in the fridge/freezer.

Born and raised floridian with plenty of sun poisoning and never been to the dr.

Also once the swelling goes down start using a moisturizing lotion (natural/organic whatever) and LOTS of sunscreen on your face WHENEVER you go out.

 

[puppydog]

If you use a lot of antibiotics you're often more open to infections as your own immune system tends to get "lazy," so I can see where, in some cases, it could happen, but no way would I want to start throwing antibiotics at something until there were really needed.

Take that, though, with the caveat that I haven't had an antibiotic in probably close to 15 years.

Antibiotics are WAY overused and the cause of far more harm then good. So unless I'm near death from pain I stay well away. Bladder infections and ear infections are the only thing I will use them for.

I second water and cold compress. Maybe steep some rosemary, let it cool and wipe that on. It has major healing properties.