Sore, dry, red raw skin around eyes and it's spreading - help!

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I've Googled for images of blepharitis and the first few images that come up don't really seem a good match for my symptoms as the images show just slightly irritated looking eyelids.

The skin around my entire eye socket (eyebrows down to cheek bones) is becoming more irritated every day and my eyelids themselves feel extremely dry and uncomfortable. Top and bottom eyelids are quite swollen.

I've been doing warm compresses with cotton wool but wonder if anyone can recommend an over-the-counter cream or wash or other product that might help?

Allergy to nail varnish?

That one's a definite no unless you can have a reaction 5 years after last use

Sounds like eczema or contact dermatitis. You need to see a doctor.

I was hoping to avoid the GP as I know how much pressure they're under at the minute! If I can't find anything OTC that's effective over the weekend I'll phone on Monday.

My daughter had something that sounded similar , it foiled the GP and eventually a dermatologist sorted it out , it’s some kind of atypical eczema. The only cream that works is Protopic , before we tried that she was taking 15mg of prednisilone a day which also worked but obviously isn’t a long term solution . It started about 3 years ago , only happens during the summer and now if she applies the protopic immediately it starts it stops it in its tracks .

Allergic reaction to eye make up/remover, lotion, cream, sun screen, etc.?

GP. Never mess about with eyes. You can always email them a photo to save visiting in person

Thanks everyone.

My hunch is that it’s putting sunscreen on my face that sets it off as I’ve had similar issues previous summers just not as bad.

I’m planning to go to the pharmacy tomorrow to hopefully get me something to tide me over until Monday when I’ll phone the GP.

Taking an antihistamine will probably help, at least slightly, in the meantime, if you have any.

Also, rather than warm compresses I would use flannels rinsed with cold water then rung out & just place them on your eyes. I would also make sure they've been washed well, but gently of course, to clean them of whatever caused the reaction. Then dab on an unfragranced moisturiser, even vaseline would do or olive oil etc, as anything fragranced will probably sting.

Oh, & just to add that eye drops would help with the dryness of the eyeballs.

I had this once and it was awful!

The GP was stumped and I ended up being sent to a dermatologist as well. I tried what felt like hundreds of creams.

Hydrocortisone cream helped a lot for temporary respite but not sure if you can get it OTC and you need to be careful not to overuse it around the eyes.

Chamomile lotion also helped a lot with the itching (if yours is itchy)

Eventually we worked out it was an allergic reaction to a specific type of mold/damp that was in my house at the time.

Sorry, just read op & saw you didn't mention eyeballs!

If you do dab anything on your eyelids, especially oils, make sure it can't run into your eyes.

Also - agree that cold water is better than hot

@redtshirt50

I had this once and it was awful!

The GP was stumped and I ended up being sent to a dermatologist as well. I tried what felt like hundreds of creams.

Hydrocortisone cream helped a lot for temporary respite but not sure if you can get it OTC and you need to be careful not to overuse it around the eyes.

Chamomile lotion also helped a lot with the itching (if yours is itchy)

Eventually we worked out it was an allergic reaction to a specific type of mold/damp that was in my house at the time.

Yeh, I was going to suggest hydrocortisone too, as I would apply some thinly for something like this, but not everyone has it &, as you rightly say, it would need to be used sparingly on skin around the eyes.

Don't touch hydrocortisone before ruling out perioral dermatitis. As the name indicates, it most commonly affects the skin around the mouth, but it can sometimes happen round eyes. Hydrocortisone would make it better initially, but then much worse.

I find bepanthen (nappy rash cream) is very soothing when the skin around my eyes flares up.

I've had this a few times. Once was an allergy to new mascara and of course it did get worse as I kept putting the mascara on (until I clicked after about a week). The other times has been a reaction to sunscreen so now I rely on the spf on my make up/moisturiser and totally avoid being out in bright sunshine.

I found that a rosehip serum worked really well.

I had something like this. I saw the GP and she was seriously worried, as there is a possibility that it can be something serious that endangers sight. I was referred to the eye hospital immediately. So do contact your GP as soon as possible. Better to be safe than sorry. You need confirmation that it is not something nasty, even if it does prove to be something less serious.

Ok. Thank you everyone. The pharmacist didn’t seem very concerned but nor would he make any useful suggestions other than to put emollient on it which doesn’t feel quite right to me where the skin looks raw/a bit shiny and wet.

I’ll call the GP on Monday unless it gets worse before then. Of course I now wish I’d spoken to them yesterday but I needed an appointment for DD yesterday and felt it might be too much to try and get an appointment for me too!

I get this occasionally. I find putting water on it only prolongs it so I would try to avoid that.

Also, (first a disclaimer that I really don’t officially recommend this, but...) putting that O’Keefe’s working hands harms cream on cleared it up after a few days. (I know, I know but I was desperate and I was very careful not to put it close to my actual eye.)

I had this when I used to get contact dermatitis (from nail polish so it might be something on your hands rather than directly on your eyes).

I was prescribed hydrocortisone which worked eventually but would wait for GP before using it just in case it's not that. Take an antihistamine and maybe use some cica cream (Avene cicafalte or La Roche Posay one) - soothing and moisturising.

And just to add... If it it contact dermatitis and it comes back again then fight to get a dermatology referral to find out what you're allergic to!