Any idea what this redness could be?

[LesleyKnopeFan]

Over the last few years, got some sort of reaction to a mascara on my eyelids and under eye area, sore, red etc. doc prescribed daktakort (sp?) and this cleared it up.

Over the last few months, the patches came back and have appeared on my outer cheeks and above my eyebrow. I thought it was my tinted moisturiser (the only product that goes all over my face, incl eye area).

Stopped using this 2 weeks ago and the patches are worse. They are slightly red, flat but neat, look like a faint burn and rough to the touch.

I just don't know what this could be, the only product I'm still using all over is a Clarins extra gentle toner, I don't mean to get it on my eye, but I sometimes do.

Any similar experiences or ideas? Thanks.

Could be a reaction to these ingredients:
www.skinsmatter.com/blog/?p=78
I know, despite Clarins being supposedly v gentle, that some of these ingredients that are becoming increasingly problematic for many.
I would suggest cleansing with Kiehl's supremely gentle eye makeup remover (dampen eyes, apply a little and rinse off or wipe off with cotton wool moistened with warm water). It's quite dear but it's like a fragrance-free serum/ lotion and a little goes a very long way (plus, Kiehl's refund if you have a reaction...they have some stand alone stores here but it can also be bought from John Lewis).
It looks like this:
www.kiehls.co.uk/img/packshot/products/343_l.jpg
and
1.bp.blogspot.com/-LEuLrCQQx-k/SOlhmTlaC_I/AAAAAAAAAnw/A4wQvRcQwh4/s1600/kiehlsmuremover.jpg

I would (prob a thin layer for day or a little more at night) of this which is gentle (there is a slight natural fragrance but my eyes are a nightmare and this is okay) and lasts ages (you can probably search for a code for lookfantastic.com for 15-20% off, or google for the cheapest stockist):

www.lookfantastic.com/dr.-hauschka-eye-balm-12.5ml/10963979.html?utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gp_skincare&affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&gclid=CJHA3vm1ocMCFSfItAodzEQAUw&gclsrc=aw.ds

Read these reviews for it:

I rated this as expensive, but in reality I got it at work for 49 cents on staff super clearance (I work at a drugstore) so I can hardly complain about the price. I think when my pot runs out in going to have to splurge to get another, because this stuff is amazing! I have had a break out of psoriasis on my right eyelid every winter for years, and nothing makes it go away except time. That was until I tried this! I just picked it up because it was there really, nothing I thought I needed or wanted. But after only 4 days use my eye is only a little dry, not the red scaly mess it was last week. It's so unbelievable I could cry, I have tried SO MANY creams and lotions and medications for my psoriasis, and having no success and a scaly red face gets depressing. The secret is in the rich emollient wax balm, which protects and soothes the eye area immensely. Much better than a water based cream! If this fixed my dark circles too, well, it would be my miracle. I'll update if I see a change, but even so this gets a top rating from me!
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and

Warning: will wax eloquent about, well, wax. This stuff is actually actively good. I am surprised, shocked, bemused, and mystified.* I'd dismissed Dr.H's balm out of hand for years as just overhyped repackaged lipbalm. I've used lipbalms as undereye creams, including the Dr.H one; and I've been using straight-up shea butter for some time.

I should add, though, that I'm not convinced this stuff works better than shea butter; which is cheaper (my usual=L'Occitane refined).

What was I thinking? Decided to try this out, on a whim. Splurging a refund (once I'd done virtuous things like upping monthly charity donations for the next year, and treated myself to some fancier-than-usual chocolate). Skin in good condition at the moment, been stable for a while, so I reckoned it was time to play around and risk messing it up. I started the experiment just before blossom/pollen season struck, so I've also been able to see how this new stuff coped with challenging circumstances.

The Eye Contour Day Cream is a waxy balm in a pot. 10g worth. Very little is needed: rub between fingertips, pat around the eyeunderneath, orbital bone, round to the outer corners, any other dry areasthen pat in. Texture-wise, slightly lighter and finer than shea butter, though without being drier (ex. compare grapeseed oil to olive). Sinks in fast. Doesn't need to be topped up during the day.

I'm using the Eye Contour over rosehip seed oil; during the day, under sunscreen. I rarely wear makeup under my eyes, but when I do (a concealer) it sits well on top. Mascara doesn't migrate (though I'm using waterproof anyway, so not usually an issue). Disobeying Dr. H's finger-wagging, using this morning and night: though just a teeny tiny bit at night, and slightly more in the morning. My skin is dry, dries out at night, and definitely needs at least some moisture then (yes, I've tried the full rhythmic thingie; did not work for me, sorry).

Results to report: no irritation, no clogs, no milia. Skin is moist. Skin is very comfortable. No issues with stuff migrating into eyes, even overnight, and resulting in irritation, swelling, soreness, stinging, etc. But this was also true of other eye creams, and of shea butter, which is considerably cheaper.

Huge pro: those crusty bits I usually get under my left eyeno idea why this hits one eye worse than they otherin allergy/hayfever season ARE NOT THERE. Gone. What usually happens: my eyes water and my skin (around the eyes) gets itchy; then eyes water over skin right under the eyes; liquid dries to crust; this then gets red and itchy, and pulls on the surrounding skin, then dries out more and gets flaky. So on a bad day there's irritation and inflammation and dryness, then the same again layered on top. I'd tried plenty balms to try to get round this problem, including good old Vaseline, and this stuff works the best so far. In that I am crust and flake free. I also take antihistamines and wear sunglasses at this time of year. Otherwise, I love spring, I do.

Eczema had returned a while back, then calmed down, and my eyelids are still a little flaky. Any emollient does at least a temporary patch-job of sticking down the flakies. Eye Contour did that too, but then when I washed my facebeing careful as usual not to rip off flaky bits (raw skin is neither visually pleasing not pleasant to live with)found the flakes are more than temporarily stuck down. This didn't happen overnight; difference observed after three nights.

Another pro, some might call it major: Little undereye lines are gone. Yes, I try not to obsess, but I am vain and I don't like seeing those little lines... though they would appear to be dehydration lines, I'm guessing, as they wouldn't disappear this fast (or at all) with just a topical emollient, if they were permanent wrinkles. Only solutions for them being the classics of retinaldehydes and surgery. But: these lines are gone. Skin just feels smooth and comfortable. Not greasy, but normal. That is very welcome at any time, and particularly at this time of year.

Packaging: small pot/jar with screw-top lid. Really the only way of dispensing thick waxy balms, to the best of my knowledge. Hygiene quibbles? Wash your hands before poking finger into it.

Cons (jar aside): other things (ex. shea butter) do the same job as well and are cheaper. I'm not sufficiently convinced to swear that I'd buy the Dr.H balm religiously. Indeed (update: 2011-05) broke jar when travelling, have replaced it with a return to shea butter.

CAD45.00-50.00 depending on supplier. Like all Dr.H stuff, cruelty-free. Not vegan, due to the beeswax. The little pot should last a good long time. While pricey, it's a lot cheaper than doctor appointments, prescriptions, and the expense of experimenting with stuff that doesn't work. Count me a hesitant convert, albeit remaining sceptical and suspicious, and a convert for all the wrong reasons: pragmatic and rational, rather than belief.**

INGREDIENTS: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Beeswax/Cera Flava, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Hypericum Perforatum (St. John'swort) Extract, Silk/Serica Powder, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Leaf Extract, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Eugenol, Farnesol, Lecithin.

Worth a try?

If you use concealer then try something like RMS Beauty's Uncover up:

www.cultbeauty.co.uk/rms-beauty-un-cover-up-concealer.html

You use the tiniest amount.

I know the misery of severe reactions so I hope this helps...

Oh, and try not to touch your hands and also think about whether you have started a new makeup, laundry liquid, nail polish, perfume, hairspray or hand cream etc...in case it's one of those.

HTH

Wow, thanks leoandboosmum, that's a lot to read and digest. Really appreciate the effort you went to, I will have a look through and get back. The new product thing rings a bell, I've recently changed fab softener and wondering if it's my sheets that are causing the prob?

Could be a reaction, yes, but the fact you get the patches above your eyebrows suggests seborrhoeic (sp.?) dermatitis could be a possibility. That tends to respond well either to mild steroid creams (like daktacort) or mild antifungal creams (you can get one with ketoconazole as the active ingredient - that used to work for me when I got this occasionally).

Would be worth making an appointment with the GP as it's fairly easy to diagnose in the flesh. Does yours flake at all? Seb. derm. usually does, but often only after the rough red patches fade.

Loonvan, it does flake and peel , after the redness goes. Should I carry on with the daktakort? What causes Seb dermatitis? Thx.

Daktacort is fine for short term use, Lesley, but it's probably best to see the GP at some point a) to make sure it's the right diagnosis & b) if it is, to ask for an antifungal cream. Using steroid creams long term can thin facial skin.

Seb. derm. is caused by a reaction - possibly an immune reaction - to a yeast that everyone has on their facial skin. Occasionally it can be an overgrowth of the yeast, eg. in people with compromised immune systems: but usually - & it's very, very common - it's just that for some reason people's skin develops a reaction to it.

I first had it about 15 years ago, at quite a stressful time - don't know if there was any connection! It went away with cream the GP prescribed & didn't come back for 7-8 years when I had another flare-up. Since then I've had the occasional outbreak. The antifungal creams can take a bit longer to work than a steroid cream - you need to apply twice a day & keep on for a bit after the redness has subsided - but they are effective.

I think some people try natural remedies - I've heard about honey being used! - but I was happy to stick to the prescription stuff as it controlled things for me.

I would say seb derm as well.

If it's on your cheek and eyebrows and over brows, try gently washing it with neutrogena t gel shampoo. It should help to clear it up.

Oddly I started having this around my eyebrows. Got rid of it using t gel shampoo.
A few years later it's reappeared on my scalp. Causing Havoc and no end of bad hair days.
I wash with T gel sensitive shampoo now and it's fine. I don't know if it would come back if I stopped but atm not taking any chances.

You can aggravate it with face washes, creams and make up sadly. So you need a bit of trial and error to see what suits you.

As far as I'm aware there isn't a specific known cause for seb derm. And it can disappear and never return.

Thanks for the info, v helpful. Out of interest, is there anything I can do to calm, nourish and change the appearance of the skin, ie for a night out? Makeup just cloggs up on it, so wondering if aqueous cream is ok?

Probably an oil free moisturiser would be best as the yeast apparently thrives in oil! I know someone who swore by sudocrem for soothing seb. derm patches, but it's not exactly invisible.

The T gel shampoo would make sense as it's the same yeast that causes dandruff, I think. Weirdly I never get dandruff but have only had it on my face.

Get a doctor to exclude see term or periocular dermatitis. The treatment would be different for eczema.

See term? I meant exclude!

Hi,
Yes, others here are right that it could be seb derm. It is so difficult because many skin conditions can manifest in a similar way. I can only speak for myself. I have rosacea, am just generally extremely sensitive anyway (part of an autoimmune issue) and suffer dry skin too. I know that my skin needs maximum moisture (whilst still being able to breath) without a reaction so what I have recommended is on that basis. Of course, YMMV.
I know that I tried every oil-free lotion under the sun (on the advice of a derm who diagnosed me with seb derm. It turned out I have very reactive rosacea and the various unguents and lotions that were recommended to me (supposedly innocuous) were making things much worse!) My dryness was worsened by the oil-fee lotions and things the derm recommended, so there was a lot of trial and error before I found stuff I could use. To make matters worse, companies often withdraw products or reformulate without notice...it can be a nightmare!
All I can say is: experiment but exercise caution as trying too many things in succession (and I know it's SO tempting!) confuses both the skin and you! Exclude as much as you can (eg if you use a new fabric conditioner go back to the old one you know you are okay with as long as they've not changed formulas, bearing in mind though that you can develop a reaction to anything at any time). Also, companies don't always make it clear ingredient have changed, in that, packaging can stay the same, so pay attention to the ingredients list each time you buy.
I would recommend either buying with the proviso you can return...there are no quibbles with Kiehls and Jurlique are pretty good with samples if you call them. You may be able to get a sample of the Dr Hauschka stuff if you can get to John Lewis and they have a tester pot out).
Think about introducing a good fish oil supplement and/ or flaxseed oil (I like Jarrows) and increasing water intake.
Hope you can get to the bottom of it, but I think keeping an open mind is crucial. It could be anything, so you'll need to experiment but be careful! Overwhelming the skin and your system will achieve nothing except greater sensitivity (I speak from experience).
Just a thought: if you use fake tan spray on your face, consider that could be the culprit. I know my mum gets patches of dryness/ irritation from that, especially in the colder months and she's not that sensitive.
:)

Apologies for the typos :)

I had exactly this in the same places and through elimination of all the products I was using I deduced it was actually a reaction to my shampoo and/or conditioner.

Even after I stopped using it, it took a long time to clear and was irritated with heat and cold but eventually.

I don't use the same shampoo now but make sure I tip my head right back and don't get any on my face at all.