A friend of mine has had a swollen inflamed upper lip for about two weeks now. His dentist recommended allergy medication such as zyrtec. It didn't work. He then saw his physician that didn't really know what it could be so he treated it like an allergic reaction and prescribed steroids. He took the steroids as directed. The inflammation/redness has gone away, however both upper and lower lip now are swollen and dry. His physician ruled out herpes and cancer.