Trout-pout Trauma!

What had caused my lips to suddenly triple in size?

- Emma Rossiter

Stretching my arms and yawning, I suddenly became aware of my stinging lip.

Sleepily walking over to the mirror, I gasped in horror at my reflection!

My top lip had tripled in size.

Oh, my God! I thought. What on earth has caused this?

I’d not eaten anything I was allergic to or used new lipstick.

I video-called my mum, Debra, 56.

‘What do I do?’ I asked her.

‘Go to A&E,’ she told me.

My lip stung as I drove to the hospital, where a doctor examined my inflamed pout.

‘It could be linked to some form of STI,’ he said. ‘I suggest a course of antivirals.’

I was relieved it was nothing too serious, but also confused.

Single, I hadn’t had unprotected sex, so I couldn’t have an STI. 

Still, I took the prescription.

A week later, my lip was still throbbing and the swelling had started to spread to my cheeks.

Red, cyst-type lumps had started forming.

I went back to A&E.

‘My face is a mess,’ I said.

A doctor examined me, said I had an infection and I’d need surgery to drain away the fluid.