Need some info on dealing with possible eczema around eyes

[The Mystery Machine]

Well, so much for that Aquaphor junk! I think I'm allergic to it!

I have put it on the last few days. Thursday morning I woke up & after showering the area around my eyes looked red again. I didn't think too much of it, as I take very hot showers & thought maybe I should have rinsed my face with cold water.

I put it on yesterday & during the day my lids itched a bit......still didn't think too much of it. Put it on last night before bed. A little stinging, so I should have known.

Woke up many times in the night & I finally got up around 4 a.m., looked in the mirror & I was red & swollen. I washed my face & tried sleeping with a cold compress on my eyes for the remainder of the night. Didn't get much sleep.

I got up & took some Benadryl around 9 a.m. & have been using the cold compresses also. What a mess I am. Not sure if I should head to Immediate Care or see what happens once the Benadryl really kicks in. I will have to wear sunglasses to church today.

Stop using makeup. You are going to have to stop for the winter. It can be done. You can heal from this.

My thing is eyeshadow. That is what gives me the eczema. Now I can use it however I have to wash it off when I get home.

And the hot showers are no good for your face. Frankly you have to "baby" your eyes for a long while until you are 100% healed.

I would just wash with the Cetaphil cleanser and then use your cream sparingly. You have to watch it because you get rebound eczema from the creams. Nuts I know.

Feel better!

 

[MELSMICE]

Stop using makeup. You are going to have to stop for the winter. It can be done. You can heal from this.

My thing is eyeshadow. That is what gives me the eczema. Now I can use it however I have to wash it off when I get home.

And the hot showers are no good for your face. Frankly you have to "baby" your eyes for a long while until you are 100% healed.

I would just wash with the Cetaphil cleanser and then use your cream sparingly. You have to watch it because you get rebound eczema from the creams. Nuts I know.

Feel better!

Thanks. I'll use the Cetaphil, but I'm going to discontinue the Aquaphor.

It looks as though the swelling has gone down a bit. The burning & itching is more tolerable right now. I'm changing my bed sheets because I'm sure there is Aquaphor reside on them.

I've been going without make-up for almost 2 weeks straight & put a little on to go to dinner yesterday. Bad move, obviously!

I guess I'll have to forego the make-up for quite a while like you are suggesting. I can't go around looking like I do now.

I considered going to Immediate Care but wanted to wait until the Benadryl starting to take affect. DH said he notices a difference in the redness swelling. It's not getting worse, so that's a good sign. He gave me a big hug & told me I looked beautiful!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks. I'll use the Cetaphil, but I'm going to discontinue the Aquaphor.

It looks as though the swelling has gone down a bit. The burning & itching is more tolerable right now. I'm changing my bed sheets because I'm sure there is Aquaphor reside on them.

I've been going without make-up for almost 2 weeks straight & put a little on to go to dinner yesterday. Bad move, obviously!

I guess I'll have to forego the make-up for quite a while like you are suggesting. I can't go around looking like I do now.

I considered going to Immediate Care but wanted to wait until the Benadryl starting to take affect. DH said he notices a difference in the redness swelling. It's not getting worse, so that's a good sign. He gave me a big hug & told me I looked beautiful!

It will get better. At least it is not weeping. Let me tell you that is one step farther than you want to go...(insert gross out smilie)

 

[MELSMICE]

Well, you'd think by now, after not wearing any make-up or anything for over 10 days that this would be looking better, but it's not. It actually seemed to get better a few days ago & has "flared up" again.

I have used the Cetaphil face wash & only vaseline (as the dermatologist said) and the last few days the entire area around my eyes is swollen, red & itchy.

I am in Florida until January 10, but will be calling the dermatologist tomorrow when they reopen for an appointment when I return. This is crazy.

I took Benadryl for about 3 days straight & then slowly weened myself off of it. I started taking it again yesterday (2 doses) but today I think I'll be back to every four hours.

I'm wondering if it's something in my diet? I know a few people mentioned going to an allergist to check that out also. It's just so strange (& annoying)!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well, you'd think by now, after not wearing any make-up or anything for over 10 days that this would be looking better, but it's not. It actually seemed to get better a few days ago & has "flared up" again.

I have used the Cetaphil face wash & only vaseline (as the dermatologist said) and the last few days the entire area around my eyes is swollen, red & itchy.

I am in Florida until January 10, but will be calling the dermatologist tomorrow when they reopen for an appointment when I return. This is crazy.

I took Benadryl for about 3 days straight & then slowly weened myself off of it. I started taking it again yesterday (2 doses) but today I think I'll be back to every four hours.

I'm wondering if it's something in my diet? I know a few people mentioned going to an allergist to check that out also. It's just so strange (& annoying)!!

Stop using Vaseline for starters. You should only use the wash and nothing else except the script sparingly.

Try that.

 

[MELSMICE]

Stop using Vaseline for starters. You should only use the wash and nothing else except the script sparingly.

Try that.

Thanks. I'm going to try not even using the vaseline & just go with the face wash. I've even been washing my face around my eyes & then right before I rinse I give a "once over" of my eye area & rinse immediately. Using very cool water also on my face.

I actually left the script at home because the derm was so adamant that I don't use it anymore because of thinning of the skin. I knew if it was here I'd be tempted to use it. Of course, now I'm kicking myself because I didn't bring it, but not much I can do about that now.

It always seems better in the morning & then as soon as I start my day it seems to flare up more.

Today they are just driving me crazy with the itching. I'm trying not to touch them at all.

There is also a patch on my neck/under my chin that is the same way. I'm hoping I can get an appointment soon after I return home.

 

[etoiles]

This thread has been very helpful because I just realized what I have which is also eczema around the eye. I am going to make an appointment with a dermatologist because it is aggravating and embarassing when it is noticeable.

Thanks!

 

[Christine]

Thanks. I'm going to try not even using the vaseline & just go with the face wash. I've even been washing my face around my eyes & then right before I rinse I give a "once over" of my eye area & rinse immediately. Using very cool water also on my face.

I actually left the script at home because the derm was so adamant that I don't use it anymore because of thinning of the skin. I knew if it was here I'd be tempted to use it. Of course, now I'm kicking myself because I didn't bring it, but not much I can do about that now.

It always seems better in the morning & then as soon as I start my day it seems to flare up more.

Today they are just driving me crazy with the itching. I'm trying not to touch them at all.

There is also a patch on my neck/under my chin that is the same way. I'm hoping I can get an appointment soon after I return home.

Let me tell you something I've learned about eczema and allergic skin reactions over the years. They are a vicious cycle of flare ups and that cycle needs to be broken. My son gets eczema terribly and NO amount of moisturizing, using specail washes, wrapping, etc. breaks that cycle. The only thing that does is steriod cream. Often times, we will see a noticeable difference after ONE day. If we can get it to at least calm down with the steriod cream, then the other stuff will start to help and actually work. But when you are in a major flare, sometimes this is all that works.

As I posted earlier this thread, my mom got eczema on her eyelids and under her eyes and she was miserable, like you, for 6 months. She finally went to the dermatologist, got a small tube of cream, and she was better by the end of the week. Now she keeps it on hand for small flare ups (that hardly ever occur) and she can nip it in the bud right away.

Thinning of the skin is a big concern with steriod use, but eczema can also do a lot of damage to the skin if untreated as well as leaving you vulnerable to skin infections if it gets too bad. I think using the cream sparingly to break the cycle is going to be what you need to do. Obviously the cream is made for a purpose and many doctors have no problem prescribing it because this is something that needs to be brought under control. Heck, just last week I was reading one of my "health" magazines and this subject (eye eczema) was in the magazine and some "leading dermatologist" who I"ve often seen quoted in many skin articles said to go out and by some OTC 1% hydrocortisone cream and use it to break the cycle. My opthamologist also told me it was safe and he's no dummy.

 

[jennyjinx3]

My 5 year old get eczema also (face, back buttocks) and I have found it is worse in the winter. We use a natural ointment called "Nature's Aid". It is a mix of Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Witch Hazel, Rosemary and Tea Tree Oil. It is not a permanent solution but works wonders during a flare up. We can put it on at night and in the morning there is a very noticeable difference.

www.naturesaid.ca is the website. Not sure where you are if it's available but here in Ontario I got it at a local health food store.

 

[MELSMICE]

Well, I went & purchased some 1% cortisone cream. I figured I would at least give it a try.

I stopped using the vaseline & put a tiny bit of the cortisone cream on. There was a noticeable difference by the end of the day. Three days later & using just the slightest amount of cream once or twice the last few days. I did wake up with some flaky skin around my eyes yesterday, so I put the smallest amount of vaseline on them just until I got in the shower.

This morning my eyes & skin look the best they have in quite a long time.

Thanks to those that recommended that I stop the vaseline to try to combat this & use a little cortisone. It might not be the sole answer, but right now it has helped so much! The area around my eyes is not red, itchy or swollen at all.

Plus, through all this, my face was starting to break out in other areas from the vaseline. It was really annoying. Thanks again!

 

[Christine]

I'm glad you updated. I was wondering how you were faring.

As for the Vaseline, I have extremely dry skin and Vaseline is the only thing I can use for a moisturizer. I use it on my face morning and evening. It's gross, I look awful, but I haven't had a flake in years. But it's probably not good for anyone who has the least bit of oil in their skin.

 

[DipsyDoodles]

Just saw your update! No prescriptions needed for you, that is great!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I'm glad you updated. I was wondering how you were faring.

As for the Vaseline, I have extremely dry skin and Vaseline is the only thing I can use for a moisturizer. I use it on my face morning and evening. It's gross, I look awful, but I haven't had a flake in years. But it's probably not good for anyone who has the least bit of oil in their skin.

Funny, Vaseline will make mine worse like I put acid on it. How strange is that?

Now I do use a combo of A&D ointment and my steriod cream for my hands with gloves/socks overnight to combat my hand eczema from time to time.

I was bad the other day at my sister's and did dishes without gloves (usually I bring them) and now my hands are wrecked.

I use gloves for dishes, cleaning, cooking, my hands can stay good. I have my cleaning gloves, food gloves, and dish gloves.

 

[MELSMICE]

The best part is that I have been able to use my mineral make-up also. I don't wear a lot to begin with.....just mineral foundation, mascara, mineral blush, occasionally eye liner & some lip tint......but I just don't like going without it.

I have had no reactions to any of the make-up or anything else, which is what I thought was the problem from the start. In fact, the dermatologist said it was an allergic reaction also.

Another funny thing.......DH said that my eyes looked much better & asked me what I did. One of my DD's heard him & said, "She asked on the DIS dad, those people seem to know everything!" LOL!!!