USVI-On-Line

Hi guys. I'm having a peculiar problem. We arrived Saturday. Rented a prescription mask with snorkel attached and snorkeled Sunday without problems. On Monday, we went out with Capt Phil and after our first snorkel, my lips were really swollen. He wasn't concerned, so I wasn't. They went down overnight but were still sore. I snorkeled a lot yesterday, and my lips are still swollen and sore this morning.
I haven't eaten any seafood or anything else too unusual. Am thinking maybe the rented snorkel has latex and I must be sensitive so I'm switching back to my own snorkel today. Anything else I should be considering?
I'm not wheezing or itchy and my tongue is fine,so I'm not concerned about anaphylaxis. I guess I'm wondering if we could have snorkeled through a "cloud" of something?

You may have been stung by something, or a reaction to the latex, or something the snorkel was cleaned with, although I think a bleach solution isnused to disinfect.

That sounds weird! I would not snorkel today and give them a break and see if it eases up!!

My husband went through a period where his lips (inside and out) would swell to frightening proportions. He was reacting to something and we never found the cause. This was happening at home, not on STJ.

He was told by the emergency room doc as well as his regular doctor that this particular type of reaction rarely effects the airways. It gave him some peace of mind but he still freaked out each time it happened.

My sister gets swollen lips from the sun -- not even when she has a sunburn, but it is still some sort of sun poisoning for her.

So do you look like Anjolena Jolee "SP'

if my daughter doesn't use sunblock in her chapstick..her lips swell a good bit out in the sun...

Waterguy, You made my morning. I couldn't stop laughing!

I hope they are getting better. I know how bad it hurts to have sunburned lips and not be swollen. Maybe a widebrimed hat would help protect from further exposure. Have you tried taking a benadryl?

Ditto on the sun and lips. Always an issue for me. As an FYI don't use anything wax based. Made that mistake of using a ski/sun product I thought was perfect, my lips were literally cooking and covered in blisters! Fun trip to clinic, they were awesome.
SPF 50 with zinc was my solution.

Maybe your mask was too tight?

Yes, if you haven't already, I would take a Benadryl, and then carry some with you when you are out and about, snorkeling etc just in case..

Sorry to hear about your problem. I also think you should try to take a benadryl if you can. It doesn't sound like it is caused by the sun if had improved briefly. My thought is if you swam through something you would have issues on other parts of your body as well. I am latex sensitive (not allergic) and it sounds like that could possibly be the case here. Do you have issues wearing latex gloves at work? I hope you get it resolved and have a fantastic trip. If it doesn't go away maybe Waterguy's comparison to Angelina will get ya a free drink or two.
Have fun! BTW you missed our snow!

The snorkel could have had some kind of bacteria on it.

I have had my lips swell when I eat raw mango - this was not true for years but started happening awhile ago - it doesn't affect my breathing but I now avoid mango altogether.

I think you hit the nail on the head-- it's probably a reaction to latex.