I have this weird skin problem on my eyelids and on the skin around my eyes. I don't know what it is. I'm not sure if it's a rash or dry skin. I've had it for about a year...ever since I started using make-up. I'm pretty sure it's make-up related, I talked to a lady at the Clinique counter and told her my dilemma. She said that it was most definitely the cheap makeup I've been using (the cheap makeup kits that have tons of different colors) and told me to use Neosporin. If it didn't get better within 2 weeks she said, see a dermatologist. I followed her advice and nothing really happened. My mom dislikes our medical group and doesn't know of any dermatologists...she wants me to find out for sure what I have and if it needs medical attention. I've had this for a long time and it doesn't seem to be going away. I've haven't worn make-up in a month in a half in my eye area and it doesn't seem to be getting better. In fact, it seems to be getting worse. What's worse, is that people at school notice it and it's embarrassing. Some days are worse than others, I wake up and it's bright red and the skin is peeling on top of it...stings too when if I drip my contact solution on it. Other times, it just looks wrinkly and darker than the rest of my skin in that area. I've really tried everything...I've put lotion on...that stops the peeling somewhat, but it never goes way. Can anyone help me?!
It could be exzema. I just started in the past year having bouts of strange dryness under my eyes and on my eye lids. I can't say that it has been peeling as you describe, but it can be red and, especially under my eyes, it looks like my skin is 100 years old. It gets really dry and wrinkly. A friend of mine suggested it might be exzema because her son gets it like that. I get exzcema occasionally on my arms or legs, so I figured it was possible. To make a long story short, when I use my exzema medicine prescribed by my doctor it goes away. You should definitely see a doctor about it because I don't personnally know of any over the counter remedies that actually work for exzema and I obviously can't diagnose that that is what you have. But it's a suggestion.
You could try jojoba oil or pure Vitamin E oil ,this won't hurt the skin.As the last poster stated ,you need to get to a dermatologist to figure out what this is and how to treat it.
About a couple of years ago I bought a Oil of Olay eye gel thingy...I applied it and the next day I had dry, itchy skin around the eyes...needless to say I threw the eye gel away and I haven't had that issue again.
I have had winter dryness on my eyelids for the past few winters. Just little spots that are flaky for a few months. I too used Oil of Olay eye gel and within a few days I looked like I had frog eyes! I seem to have periods of remission and exacerbation of inflammed, red and sometimes puffy skin on my eyelids. The skin looks like it has been all stretched out.
I tried cetaphil - burned the crap out of my skin,it has parasol in it which I think is the problem. The lady at Clinique told me to try teabags on my eyes. Burned the crap out of em again!. I have been using Eucerin eye cream and sensitive lotion for the face and also pure vitamin e oil. I also have been taking fish oils, zinc and vitamin A drops which is great as it is also good for the immune system. I have also used an OTC cortisone ointment when it gets really bad. I am sure it was the eye gel that started the problem but why is it taking so long to completely heal and I wonder if the skin on my eyes will always from now on be so super sensitive?
You may also have allergies which can cause this. If you do a medication can be prescribed. Alos to make them more comfortable use olive oil, vaseline, aquaphor, etc. Just make sure it is not a cream with additives and has one ingredient.
I was so glad to find this site. I have had horrible problems with the skin around my eyes. I have eczema and have Elidel which works good for it. When I was a child I had problems around my eyes but have not had that for like 10 yrs. Now recently I have had dry itchy red skin around my eyes. I also have horrible wrinkles, I know I will want to do something about them eventually because they will just get worse. Elidel does not seem to work on my eyes. The irritation seems to go away on its own and only fads for a couple of days. Cold water helps the itching stops temporarily, but the skin around my eyes look like that of an old lady! I do not want to live with them like this. Any advice? Anyone else have these symptoms and found relief? I don't want to do any more damage than what they already have done to them.
You could try emu oil. It is a effective anti-inflammatory, helps dry skin and treats eczema, it will also help with fine lines and wrinkles. Just do a google search on it. I use it and I must say that I will never use any other product on my skin, its great. I don't have to worry anymore about dry, itchy skin.
I have had this EXACT same problem for several years now. I have yet to find any kind of eye makeup I can tolerate so I just don't wear any. The skin around my eyes goes through this cycle: itches, turns red, then peels. Then the cycle starts over again. Some nights I can't even sleep because they itch and burn so bad. I also have a small patch on my right temple that does the same thing. Then I also get other patches on my arms, legs, torso, etc. that just come and go. The only thing a doctor will do is prescribe oral and/or topical steroids which should not be used long term. The only thing that doesn't irritate my skin is Vaseline, but it hasn't cured it. I have ordered some pure shea butter to see if I can tolerate that as a moisturizer around my eyes. I've read great things about it. I sometimes wonder if eczema is diet related. I'm in the process of changing my foundation makeup to mineral makeup as well as changing my shampoo, conditioner and cleaners to organic products without all of the chemicals in them. If anyone has any other advice, I'd love to hear it.
Do the steroids work for you at all? My doctor prescribed Elocon and that worked pretty quickly and I didn't need it anymore after using if for about a week.
Do you use eye makeup remover? There are a few brands that irritate my eye area, Mary Kay, Maybelline.
I know this thread was started awhile ago, but I really wanted to add my 2 cents. I had this same problem for over a year. I went to my family Dr. who sent me to my eye doctor who sent me back to my family doctor who then sent me to an allergist who sent me back to my family doctor who sent me to a Dermatologist who sent me to a Dermatologist who specializes in Contact Dermatitis. This is what a few of the Doctors agreed what it was. The specialist agreed, but was the only one who could do intense testing to see what was causing it. Contact dermatitis is a a sensitivity or allergy that your skin reacts to when it comes in contact with a subsance. From what I was told, you should not put anything on your eye until you find out what causes it. Your dermatitis will go away when your shin stops coming into contact with the substance - it can take up to 4 months for it to go away. Anyway, they found out that I had a fragrance sensitivity. Doesn't mean it affects me when I smell a scent - it's only when I touch something with fragrance and then touch my eye. This is everything you put on your face - moisturizer, soap, make up, etc. There are many products that are frangrance free, but just because something says it's fragrance free doesn't mean that it truely is. There is so much info to absorb, I know. I use a special soap, moisturizer and it turned out that the make up I was using was OK - so I didn't have to change that. But it is a pain in the neck, I have to wash my hands after I touch anything and I have to carry my own soap everywhere with me. I'm not going to continue on with my problem because everyone can be allergic to something else - just get to the Dermatologist ASAP. And do not put any creams, etc. on your eye, because you don't know what all of the ingredients mean - they can be doing more harm then good. All of my doctors had presribed different things for me to put on my eyes and it turned out that I was allergic to every one of them. And one more thing the Clinique lady does not know what a dermatologist knows. There was no way she could tell you what to do for your skin. More expensive make ups generally are not any better that cheaper brands. You will have to learn to read lables. My Derm. gave me a list of all products that are truely fragrance free and this is no particular brand that is better. Some brands are ok for foundation but not blush you'll have to use another brand brand for lipstick. You just have to follow the list the Derm. gives you and learn to read labels. Good luck!
Soon after I (recently) turned 41 I began experiencing dry itchy red puffy inflamed skin under my eyes and on my lids. It's not directly below my eyes, but at the top of my cheekbones just below my eyes. I look 60 years old...or like botox injections gone bad (I've never done botox). I have been using the same skin care products, cleaning products, laundry detergents, shampoos, vitamins, etc for years, and I can't imagine I would have developed such a severe reaction so suddently after all this time!
I've tried Vaseline, Jurlique (organic) eye cream, Clinique (chemical) eye cream and even nothing, but it didn't affect anything one way or the other.
I went to the derm, and of course, they can't definitively tell you the cause, esp if it's an allergy. She prescribed TobraDex - a $90 (!!!) tiny tube of petroleum based antibiotic steroid, which has helped, but not cured.
Perfume is the logical suspect, so I elimated that for about a week, but it hasn't helped. I read on another board that nail polish can cause a reaction around the eye area, so now I'm eliminating that. I've recently been using OPI polish with sparkles, and it makes sense that something on your fingers which comes in contact with makeup, pillows, clothing, hair, etc would affect your eyes. Concidentally, I removed my polish last night and woke up with REALLY puffy red eyes! I also wear contacts, but I don't think it's my solution.
I mention these items in case anyone else who uses OPI or sparkly nail polish or wears contacts is experiencing eye problems...it may (or may not?) be the culprit. If my irritation goes away, I'll let you know!
UPDATE: The cause of the irritation appears to be the POLLEN we get every spring in the South. I've gone back to using all of my products, and nothing caused irritation. The pollen is gone, and so is the irritation.
Last edited by chelle8265; 04-13-2007 at 05:39 PM.
Reason: Update:
When I sweat or cry I break out if raw BLISTERS on my eyelids, under my eyebrows and all around my eyes.
Family Dr prescribed Elocon which relieved it quick.
But it returns every time I get the slightest bit warm it returns.
(my eylids sweat a LOT, which is weird but they do..
I AM gonna be 60 and my skin tends to get very hot for no logical reason sometimes)
I became worried that maybe its cancer or something contagious?
I went to a Dermatologist.
He said it's Eczema.
He said absolutely do not ever use a steriod like Elocon near my eyes!
He prescribed Elidel.
Sure enough the Elidel got rid of it but it also blurred my sight badly and gave me monster headaches in just 3 days.
I asked for a diff prescription.
He prescribes Protopic.
This time I looked it up before buying it. It stated you can NOT use it near eyes.
what the heck..the problem is on my eyelids!
Both the Elidel and Protopic have governement Black Box cancer warnings stateing that continued use WILL cause cancer.
I can't beleive he prescribed such dangerous meds for my eyelids!
Went back to the Dermotologist.
His only answer is to use Mimyx (prescribed cream) and only use Dove soap. He gave me samples of the Mimyx and Dove soap.
Mimyx is great feeling cream and it cost $149 a tube. Won't cure a thing but it does make the skin feel nice between outbreaks. My ins won't cover it.
I had been useing Baby Magic Body Wash on my face (the no tears kind) So he wants me switching so I'm useing Aveeno (oatmeal based) cleaning bars now. Dove is nice gentle soap but I prefer something that is not stinging to the eyes!
So I'm discusted with the answers from my Dermatologist but at least I know the blisters on my eyelids and around my eyes are simply a form of eczema.
It got up to 80 a week or so ago and being outside made me pirspire.
OH NO!
I came in, washed my face with cold water.. put slices of cold cucumbers over my eyelids a while and hoped I would not break out in blisters.
The next morning I had terrible blisters under my eybrows, under my eyes, in the skin of the corners of my eyes the top of my nose but... not on my eyelids themsleves this time.
So I'm gonna keep a cucumber in the refridgerator for this summer.
BUT for the break out blisters this time I applied over-the-counter Cetaphil cream.
Cool Relief. Took a only few days to get rid of the blisters.
so I am currently converted to useing Cetaphil.
Summer isn't here but I've my sneak peak and I hope I have some control this year.
BTW the only over-the-counter cream or lotion I have found that actually states on the label that it is "safe on eyelids".. is Ponds cold cream.
So currently each night I am putting the cold cream on my eyelids and the Cetaphil on the surrounding area.. in hopes to rebuild my skin barriers so it doesn't react so badly come summer.
This may be a stretch, but maybe the sun and heat are causing fever blisters or a Herpes outbreak around your eyes. I take Valtrex ($8-10 / pill) when I feel an outbreak coming on for blisters I get around my mouth, and it's the only thing that helps.
Thats an idea but it's not.
Family Dr and Skin Dr both agree is just ezcema.
However I am an older woman and let me tell you my skin temperature sometimes gets so hot I think I'll self-combust.
Also I must wear glasses to see every waking minute.
The glasses of course cover exactly the area where I get the exzema.
It not a contact allergy.
It does not happen if my skin temperature is cool and I'm not crying.
It happens when I cry as well as when I sweat when I'm hot.
Any temperature raise seems to cause sweat for me in taht area.
My personal therory that the eye glasses hold in the heat from my skin.
Forceing the heat back and therefore making that area even hotter.
Sweat and tears both contain natural salts which would generally evaporate off the skin but for me it's not evaporating cuz of the glasses.
this causes basically the same thing a kids diaper causes by holding in heat on a wet area = diaper rash of the eye area
Hi, I just joined. I have a question for those of you that might know. I have small bumps under my eyes. I have had them for almost 4 years now if not longer. Just this past week, I have noticed that the area around my eyelids (both bottom and top) are really itchy and dry. What is something that I could use to put on this so it won't irritate me so much? I have to admit, I am one of those that uses the cheap makeup kits, so I am thinking that it may be some reaction to that or something else. Anyone that could give me some insight would be great. Thanks.
The white bumps are most likely millia, which are fatty deposits that can result from wearing too much, or too heavy an eye cream or makeup. They are very difficult to get rid of. Really all that works is extracting them, kind of like a pimple, which is best left to a professional dermatologist because the area is so sensitive and you can cause scaring if it's done wrong.
I would think the itchiness and redness is probably a reaction to a product you're using. Could be the makeup, eye makeup remover or a soap. Have you started using any new products lately? Ragweed allergies are pretty bad right now too. That could be a possibility. You could try a tiny bit of cortizone or even some chamomile tea bags to calm it down.
You could try jojoba oil or pure Vitamin E oil ,this won't hurt the skin.As the last poster stated ,you need to get to a dermatologist to figure out what this is and how to treat it.
I too have had problems with my eye lids and red eye in one of my eyes for the past 2 years. I had no visible bumps on lower or upper eye lids (until later - read on) I'm an actor on small productions and worked on some minor films. I used stage makeup and tried to always cleans after performances. I too used moisturizers, such as oil of olay, to help dry skin. I was 38 when the problem started to occur.
The eye doctors said they have seen this before. It is NOT pink eye although it looks like it. They said the redness is caused by toxins in the glands of my eye lids, which block the tiny tear ducts all around the upper and lower eye lid, which lubricate and cleans the eye.
They don't know the root cause for the skin to become toxic. they said the symptoms are similar to getting a sty in the eye. But they ruled that out as I had no visible bumps. My thought is something like the moisturizers, or some of these so called NATURAL products which may NOT be natural at all. The doctor prescribe Tobradex, but told me it TRICKS the eyes into thinking there is nothing wrong and it returns white again. IN other words, the eye was fighting something off, and this makes the eye stop fighting. (I found a better prescription below). The bad part is something is STILL wrong and the Tobradex is just masking it. He also had given me antibiotics but they never worked like the Tobradex did - to whiten the eye. However, even though the eye was white, it still remained hot to the point of steaming up my glasses on that one eye.
After visiting 3 different Optometrists and Ophthalmologists, I found one doctor who told me to simply use HOT compresses on the eyes morning and night. this doctor also recommended washing the upper and lower eye lids with mild soap. He recommended Johnson's Baby Shampoo -- good old tried and true product which is easy on the eyes. To dilute and your finger or Q-Tip, then rinse
I tried the hot compresses AT FIRST it did not work. But then one weekend I tried for longer periods of time, something like 30 minutes. Surprisingly it went away. I then followed up with the washing with baby shampoo and it really cleared up. This is without prescriptions or anything like that. I had to continue following up each day, although not as long something like 10 minutes, for about a month. Then I went on long periods without doing this at all - like a whole month one time - without it coming back. It is a BIG pain though, having to spend half your day with a hot towel on one of your eyes.
After follow up appointments, my doctor told me if it came back to use the Tobradex (so I could get through the day without everyone staring at me) and then start the hot compresses again when an outbreak occurs.
Another quick note, when doing the hot compresses, I would notice bumps starting to appear, as if a pimple was forming. I thought maybe if I get this pimple, it would clear up the whole problem from reoccurring. I wanted to see if more hot compresses would clear it up, but then I had to go to work, or do something and could not keep doing the hot compresses. Then within a day or two the bumps subsided. Most of the time they didn't show up at all.
CONCLUSION:
I feel the cause is something in the skin, caused by a mixture of products, either moisturizers, or make up or? Something we use clogs the pour to the point it can not clear itself without our help. Sparkles may have something to do with it. Shampoos and conditioners may as well. I have used Pantene condition I did use a liquid eye liner once, and thought it to be that since I normally don't use liquid liners. And I only used it once. It could also be a contact lens I had on one eye a long time ago, which I forgot to take out and left on overnight and it was in this one eye. I don't THINK it would be that because it was a year prior to me getting the redness breakout.
I do however, think Oil of Olay should look at their moisturizing creams. After not having this for several months, I used their cream again and the redness came back. Surprisingly I was using their Sinsitive Skin and fregrance free formula. It may be a coincidence, but I don';t think so. I'm a guy and don't use too much froo froo stuff. Therefore, the only few products I have been exposed to are very small. When I use this moisturizer, it also causes red blotches on my right cheek. I never noticed this before I started using the product.
The good old mild soaps, fregrance free products are the BEST. We shouldn't overload our bodies with these artificial products. I think as we get older, our bodies are not producing enough oils to battle these toxins. I think that may be another area to look at, because if the eyes are dry, the body may be having problems with producing enough moisture on it's own.
Hope this helps someone, and hopefully others read to give me advise.
Dry skin around eye area 
What's worse, is that people at school notice it and it's embarrassing. Some days are worse than others, I wake up and it's bright red and the skin is peeling on top of it...stings too when if I drip my contact solution on it. Other times, it just looks wrinkly and darker than the rest of my skin in that area. I've really tried everything...I've put lotion on...that stops the peeling somewhat, but it never goes way. Can anyone help me?!
Re: Dry skin around eye area 
Re: Dry skin around eye area 
