Eczema round the eyes - wonder cream?

[helpyhelperton]

Get the occasional flare-up and usually goes away on its own.

However it's really sore - is there a wonder product that is safe to use round the eyes - I know steroids aren't the best thing for this area?

Thank you!

We use Aquaphor.

I was also going to suggest Aquaphor. Also weleda camomile balm works very well. Both very greasy though.

Soothe balm. www.herbalhealth.org.uk/product/soothe-for-people/

I tried lots of things, but ended up getting tacrolimus prescribed - which absolutely worked. You need to protect your skin from the sun, though.

I was advised (by a dermatologist but not as an official appt - was a chat at work) to use a small amount of OTC hydrocortisone cream twice a day for 3 days to get it under control then slap on epimax cream 3 or 4 times a day. It’s really worked for me but it’s taken about 3 weeks to sort out. The next step would have been protopic (tacrolimus) cream as PP said.

I do have a GP appointment booked as my friendly dermatologist has said a referral would be sensible given it’s around my eyes. I am fairly atopic and used to random rashes / reactions / allergies / eczema but around the eye is new for me and although I’m fairly relaxed about most things you do have to be careful with eyes.

@xigris I will add I had tried the hydrocortisone and epimax first, before my GP prescribed the tacrolimus.

Perhaps Balmonds skin salvation moisturising ointment. It's a bit like vaseline in texture. Worked on DS's chin when steroid ointment did not.

Protopic has revolutionised the skin on my face from a time when I didn’t want to be seen to now feeling quite proud of its good condition. I needed to be referred to a dermatologist to obtain it though.

This is very helpful as I have had exactly the same since Xmas.
Before Xmas I had really awful eczema on my arms, chest, neck which I had to have a steroid cream and hydrocortisone cream for.
I have never ever had any skin problems before, wondering if it menopause related as I am 51.

Do not use Epimax on your face. There was a drug safety alert July 2024 which says so - there have been issues with ‘ocular toxicity’ and ‘ocular chemical injury’ which led to the alert. I know because a doctor prescribed it to be to be used 5 plus times a day on my face and my eyes became vey sore, light sensitive and some blurred vision. An optician picked up why my eyes were so sore and I’ve needed eye drops multiple times a day. Thankfully 10 days on my eyes are much better.

Although the manufacturer of Epimax has produced an amended label saying not to use on the face, the stock in my local chemist (prescribed and on the shelf) still has the old label which only says to avoid contact with the eyes.

I use sudocrem. It usually clears it up by the next day

here

Try immunosuppressant creams like elidel.

@kaurigold do you have a pic of the one not to use on eyes? I've been given one a few months ago with the purple label but I get little blisters on my eyelids when I use it?

I also have steroid cream but don't use it that often.

What I've found works best @helpyhelperton and was recommended by my GP is vaseline. Also antihistamines but obviously check with your GP!

Have you tried bathing them every night in tea? I know it sounds like an old wives tale but it does help.

@kaurigold OMG! Thank you. I did not know this and the epimax for my eyes was recommended by a specialist pharmacist. I HAVE had sore / red eyes (hence GP appt) and had chalked it up to general inflammation / yet another perimenopause symptom. What were you recommended instead for eye moisturiser as the epimax has been really good.

My dad is a GP and he’s said if I only use it very very sparingly and seldom (maybe four times a year) that a super super thin layer of Betnovate ointment is fine on the skin in the eyelid or below the eye. Works really well, had to use it last week and the eczema disappeared within a day.

The only thing that's worked for me is a tiny amount of hydrocortisone, then at least 30 minutes later vaseline as its not got anything that should irritate & it will moisturise it.

My eyes were so sore & everything the Dr's prescribed made it worse. Then saw a nurse practitioner who suggested the above and it sorted it out.

You shouldn't use the hydrocortisone for more than a week at a time, so use the vaseline by itself at that point. You can get the hydrocortisone at the chemist without a prescription.

I have it round my eyes and mouth and it's a constant battle at the moment.

I've tried all manner of potions and lotions. At the moment, I am using the Aveeno Baby Dermexa range and I am finding it helps. It doesn't irritate my eyes at all, which is unusual.

Just in case it’s helpful, DD’s eczema was round her eyes and the dermatologist found one of her main triggers - nail varnish, the normal kind. He said lots of people are finding this as it’s fine on normal skin but then you rub your eyes and the skin is more sensitive. She now uses stick ons or gels.

Yes, same here. Sometimes if I catch it early enough just vaseline does the trick. And Fucidin it I don't 😬😓

As a general thing, I find Weleda Skin Food, Eucerin Atocontrol and Tropic Tamanu cream are quite good for me.

Pictures of the Epimax ointments not to be used on the face

I have the original cream in the tube. Just read the label and it does say avoid contact with the eyes……bloody love epimax so I’m now in mourning. It’s worked brilliantly for my sensitive sore skin. Shame my eyes might now fall out 😣

Thanks @kaurigold neither of those are mine. Mines the 'epimax isomol gel" with a purple label. It makes me have blisters that also could be Mila but surely if they were Mila they would come at other times bit just the day after I've used the epimax??

I had a GP face to face appointment yesterday (the Epimax was prescribed by a ‘Hub’ in a telephone consultation). She prescribed Cetraben ointment for my face. I’ve only just collected it so I can’t say how that’s going to help. The GP also prescribed 1% hydrocortisone to be used twice a day for 5 days and then once a day for another 5 - but obviously that was her specific recommendation for my facial eczema.