Puffy face causes and treatment

Puffy face and treatment

A face can get swollen and puffy if fluids build up in the facial tissue. This can happen for lots of reasons. Most of puffy face causes can be solved with home medicine but if they do not get solved, a person should go see a doctor, especially if puffiness is accompanied by fever or severe pain. Also, the doctor should be informed of how long it has been going on, where it is painful to touch and all the other things concerning the puffiness.

Allergies

When a person inhales or ingests a substance to which he or she is allergic to, it may lead to facial swelling. Usually it is the area around the eyes that swells but the neck and tongue may swell as well. Pollen, peanuts and insects are the things that people are mostly allergic to.

Cellulitis

It is a skin infection caused by bacteria. Bacteria gets into the skin through a cut or break. Besides becoming puffy, the skin gets itchy, hot and quite painful. Cellulitis is developed by such risk factors as recent insect bites or diabetes. If a person is using corticosteroid treatments for acne, he or she may also be at risk.

Tooth abscess

Facial swelling can be caused by a tooth infection or an abscess. A chipped tooth or advanced tooth decay are the most common causes for abscesses. The skin around the tooth swells once the infection gets developed. Fever, a bad toothache and breath odor are some of the other symptoms of tooth abscess.

Rosacea

This is a quite common condition of the skin that starts with small red bumps on the face. At first, people blush easily. Then, in later stages, rosacea tends to spread from the center of the face to the cheeks. Things like spider veins may even appear. In the final stage, the face becomes puffy in the affected area. Nose becomes bigger because of the expansion of the oil glands.

Hypothyroidism

This is a condition in which an under-active thyroid causes the face to swell. This occurs when there is a low production of some hormones. Hypothyroidism usually happens to women over 50. Other symptoms are fatigue, constipation and muscle weakness.

Preeclampsia

Lots of women swell up during pregnancy. However, major swelling in the face and hands may point to preeclampsia. High blood pressure shows that it is the case of preeclampsia.

Treatment

In cases of mild puffiness there is no need to go to a doctor because it usually gets reduced pretty soon. In cases of severe puffiness, a person should go to a doctor. In case of which dehydration is the cause, a person should drink lots of water. If it is caused by the lack of vitamins, a person should eat lots of fruits and drink fruit juices. The consumption of fruits and vegetables should be increased as well if the cause of puffiness is a diet rich in fat. Ice-cold water will help straight away when splashed onto the face. It will reduce the swelling.