Eczema on eyelid??

[Fujichants]

For the past 1.5 months i've had this eczema type thing under my eyebrow and on the crease of my eyelid. It starts off with dry skin (it seriously feels like snake leather) and starts to feel itchy and the skin turns red.

I went to my doctor and he told me it is allergies. Well, I don't think so. The eyedrops he prescribed me don't even work. I don't want to keep paying my co-pay to get crap advice. I'm also afraid a dermatologist will prescribe some cortisone cream, which just isn't good for the thin skin in the eye area.

I've resorted to using baby shampoo to clean my face and Egytian Magic to moisturize it. This has alleviate the problem, but it hasn't gone away. I've also purchased a humidifier, because the air can get really dry here in So Cal.

Does anybody else get this? Doesn't have to be on your eyelid. And what do you do to get rid of it? It is driving me nuts!

[Braveheart]

Something that my holistic practitioner recommended for eczema, hives or dry skin is Squalene Oil. You can find it at a health food store. A small bottle is a bit pricey but well worth it. If the issue is on my face I use just a small drop and rub it in well. You can also add a drop to a small amount of your favorite moisturizer mix it well in the palm of your hand and apply.

For larger areas just add a couple of drops to what ever type of lotion you use and apply.

I think iherb.com carries this product. Their prices are always much less than a health food store and their service is excellent.

[Zen]

Did you do a search?

[OakLeaf]

I've never had it on my eyelid, but I do get dyshidrosis (a type of eczema), mostly on my hands, sometimes on my feet, sometimes on my forehead when I'm riding the motorcycle a lot, once on my ear. It's never completely symmetrical and sometimes I get it just on one side (including the once when it was on my ear). I get it when my skin stays too moist (gloves, shoes and helmet), but that's atypical - most people get it as a reaction to excessive dryness.

Stress is also a HUGE contributor (as with most autoimmune issues). DH gets it on his hands ONLY when he's stressed out - external conditions really don't affect it with him. I think everyone in the western world is enormously stressed for the last half of November and all of December... so maybe now that all the holiday stuff is over it'll resolve on its own?

Egyptian Magic looks really benign, but what brand of baby shampoo are you using to clean your face? I just looked up the ingredient list for J&J and there are several nasties in there. The only brands of cleansers I can use on my face are Better Botanicals and Dr. Hauschka's (Dr. Hauschka's is just too heavy for me, but in a dry climate it might work for you).

The shampoo you use on your hair might affect your face too. Some toothpastes will make my chin break out, only on one side, just from whatever small amount gets drooled out during brushing and the short time it stays there before I rinse. DH's dandruff (which I think is related to eczema? not sure) went away when we started using Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo (no SLS's, which is not the case for their whole line).

I'd worry about cortisone around the eyes too, but I think if it's going to respond to cortisone it should start responding very quickly. I definitely wouldn't do cortisone OTC on my eyelid - let a doctor prescribe it if they're going to.

What's in the eye drops you're using now? I would've thought it would be a steroid.

Sunlight also makes it go away, eventually, for me. Direct sunlight to the area - not just anywhere on the body. Are you getting enough sunshine this time of year - even in LA, the days are shorter? Without sunglasses, so your eyelid can get some exposure?

[Fujichants]

Thanks for the advice everybody!

I use Aveeno baby shampoo. It's very gentle and smells good too. I'm not very good at checking the ingredients and if they are bad or not...

Could be the shampoo/conditioner i'm using too...I use Pureology. I've noticed though that it makes my scalp very dry and I get dandruff (eeeew!). So i'll try that Kiss My Face one.

I just want it to go away soon, because it looks gross, having a red patch right under my eyebrow.

[ny biker]

I have a co-worker whose 3-year-old daughter has excema problems. The doctor recommended Aquaphor. She greases the kid up and it helps.

Also I don't know what you used to use to wash your face before using baby shampoo, but I use Cetaphil cleanser which is pretty mild.

[tulip]

I used to get that and it was no fun. I don't know if it was actually excema, but your description sounds like what I had. I was under alot of stress at the time. It's gone away now, for a few years at least. I use Dr. Hauschka on my face, which is very pricey but very worth it for me.

[ladyicon]

I have the exact same thing fujichants. I was also told that it is from allergies. I live in San Diego, and it seems that there is always something to be allergic to . Pollens, and molds. Nothing has worked for me except allergy shots for 5 yrs., got sick of that and quit. It has come back since I quit shots. Hope this helps. If you find anything that helps, let me know.

[Fujichants]

I have the exact same thing fujichants. I was also told that it is from allergies. I live in San Diego, and it seems that there is always something to be allergic to . Pollens, and molds. Nothing has worked for me except allergy shots for 5 yrs., got sick of that and quit. It has come back since I quit shots. Hope this helps. If you find anything that helps, let me know.

I will! Do you use any creams/moisturizers on it? I just found out that my appointment with the dermatologist isn't until 2/17 I just find it weird that it suddenly appears now. I've never had this problem before and i've lived in So Cal since 2002! With a 5 months break for when I moved to Singapore.

[ladyicon]

You become allergic to things as you age. I was never allergic till I woke up one morning with the puffy eye thing .I used to be allergic to strawberries, but have since outgrown it ( love berries ).

Any ways, back to the eyes.....I used to get allergy shots but after 5 yrs. could not handle the committment. I now use Lidex (prescribed). i do not like the steroid thing either, but I was more desperate to have normal eyes . I also take Zyrtec every day. Let me know if you find anything natural that works. Use the steroid cream till you can get it under control.

After all the rains that we have had, and now the warmer weather, makes all those mold spores fly around.

I hope you find a cure, but you are not alone. Good luck, let me know what the Dr. says.

[silver]

Silver Daughter has this. I hadn't replied before because we've never found a really god solution.

But she's sitting right here and I asked her what worked best. She says that Elidel is best. It's a non-steroid eczema creme.

But the solution is really more involved than that. She's done allergy shots, and all kinds of testing plus seeing an Eczema Expert in Louisville. Seems like the eyelid reaction happens when the allergies are really on overload. So she has done the shots, takes an antihistimine, avoids her allergens and treats the eyes. In other words, reduce your overall allergy exposure and the eyelid issue will get a little better.