Eczema around eyes - can anyone suggest any products I might be able to tolerate

[Flyingsouthwiththeswallows]

Without drip feeding, I have always had sensitive skin, but until a few years ago no real issues. No breakouts as a teenager, never any real need to cover up apart from sun protection, no greasiness etc.

Post menopausaly that all seems to have changed. My skin has become very dry, totally intolerant to make up and increasingly irritated by any of the normal skincare brands.

In the last few years, I have tried Clinique, Dermalogica, and even Chanel. To control irritation I have used Nivea, Aveeno and E45.

For the last nine months I have experienced increasingly bad Eczema around my eyes. This is now causing damage and swelling to the skin and resulting in irritation to the tear ducts on my eyes.

My GP has looked at it a few times and prescribed Hydrocortisone, but I am nervous about using that too much so close to my eyes. The Pharmacist told me last week that I shouldn’t be using it there at all.

Help. Can anyone suggest products that they have successfully used in similar circumstances?

I am going out to a special event with friends next week, and am so distressed at the look of my eyes and the fact that I won’t be able to wear any kind of make up, that I am close to cancelling. Any suggestions for moisurisers and make up products I could try would be very gratefully received.

Are you sure it’s eczema - I have a similar issue with a recent problem round my eyes and on researching I think it’s Pretorial dermatitis (. That’s prob not spelt correctly) . Hydrocortisone makes it a lot worse.

I have antibiotic cream from the GP but it’s still not clearing up so have dermatology appointment soon.

Perioral dermatitis - correct spelling!

With me it’s not so much which makeup I use but what I use to take it off. Can only tolerate Simple products - I use their eye makeup remover and gentle cream cleanser. Other things I’ve tried have been too harsh and made my skin scream.

Have never been able to use any make up remover wipes, they’re the stuff of the devil if you ask me

Not a doctor but have eczema myself and I cannot go near Clinique stuff. My worst ever reaction was to a sample of theirs.
I agree about using hydrocortisone ointment in the regime suggested above. It works. It's for short term use. People have been stupidly scared off using it.
DD has very very severe eczema too. Really bad.

moving re stinging eyes, agree about e45 being better than many. On the Vaseline website they explain why petroleum jelly is less likely to irritate, hence good for removing eye makeup.

Really interested in all these suggestions, too! One problem I have is that I am allergic to Shea butter, it seems to be in everything.

I had this, and it cleared with a short course of Daktacort on prescription.

I could have written your post. My eyes started with very dry skin last November, various trips to GP who prescribed hydrocortisone, this only helped a bit and like others I was very nervous about using it. A very helpful pharmacist gave me a emollient to wash round my eyes and a very heavy moisturiser (I cant remember the name) this combination has been brilliant in keeping the dryness at bay.

Although it is much better my GP has referred me to a dermatologist.

I had this. Tried Steroid cream and hydrocortisone- didn’t work. Then I read a post on fb about the Child’s Farm baby moisturiser- it is amazing! Mine cleared up in days!! It is amazing. No idea why it works- but it does! Google it- there’s loads of reviews and people saying the same thing! You can get it in Boots and supermarkets. Amazing stuff!

I think your best bet is mineral make up if you really want to wear something, have a look at Bare Minerals. For shampoo and conditioner, look at the SLS free ranges from OGX

@Daria32 my DD has very severe eczema and child's farm and moo goo both great for body but not helping face/neck.

I also suggest protopic- dermatolist prescribed this for my eyes and cleared up straight away!
Also switched shampoo to l'oriel elvive (I use the purple one still) and remove all nail varnish as that was irritating while applying cream!
Fine with urban decay, mac,lancome eye makeup but find max factor mascara best

I have eczema and find the only thing that really helps is Aveeno

Hi. I get eczema and I find it's worse when I drink tea, and better when I eat peas. So I avoid tea and drink coffee, and try to eat peas a couple of times a week. No idea why this works!

Once you've got it under control I'd use an eye cream morning and night. I use hyrdrocortison when the excema round my eyes flares up and use boots protect and perfect eye cream when the skin is OK. Since I've used an eye cream twice daily I haven't had as many flare ups.

Beelief Botanicals Emoliex is really good for this

When I have a flare up I use hydrocortisone as others have said.

Inbetween you need to find moisturisers you skin can tolerate. This can change over time and one you are fine with one day can not be the next.

I use clairol in the day and an forever aloe (I know it’s an mlm a friend forced me to buy it and I like it) propolis cream at night as neither give me that stinging feeling many creams do.

My friend had exactly the same due to menopause and her GP told her to use hydrocortisone until it was gone- and it was,very quickly.

Wrt mascara- I use Maybelline Collosos,yellow tube with purple writing on the tube. It comes off with warm water and a flannel.

I suffer from stress related eczema and I find the ice packs of the best way to get it under control not very practical for your eyes though I realise
All creams irritate my skin when I have a flare up, Vaseline seems to be the least irritating

I've used mild hydrocortisone successfully. Also a layer of vaseline before bed to lock in any moisturiser.

Have you tried the dermalogica ultracalming wash and barrier creams?

Hi @Flyingsouthwiththeswallows

I really feel for you. I had similar and it was horrendous. I finally realised it was the eye cream that was giving me an allergic reaction- Avene eye cream for sensitive skin nonetheless! After months of itchiness I stopped using all cream on my face for a couple of weeks and used hydrocortisone cream and it vanished, never to return!

I do suffer with sensitive skin and find that a lot of the brands you mention, eg chanel, clinique etc give me itchy red skin. I now use Dr Haushka plain cleansers and toners or Antipodes Grace cleanser and a Dr Haushka moisturiser. Literally everything else makes my skin sore!

I had eczema just as you describe and tried loads of things. The only product that has worked (and I now use it every day) is Argan5 eye cream, which I buy from Waitrose. It stopped the itching quickly and the swelling etc had gone by day 5.

Make up wise, I can only use mascara (Clinique) - eye shadow sets it off again and the misery it causes simply isn't worth it.

Is it this eye cream misscockerspaniel?

Once again thank you !!

So many suggestions for me to work through in the search for products that I can tolerate.

I am really surprised at how many people seem to have the same issue.

It seems to be such a minefield of potential causes. I have cleared my bathroom of all the products I use today and am busy trying to understand the complex list of ingredients on each of them. I am also thinking about diet and trying to decide if this reaction could be due to a food allergy.

Has anyone any experience of allergy testing using a private lab? I have read that many are a waste of time, but might be tempted to go down that route to resolve this once and for all.

I have jotted down some suggestions for DD to try. So thank you for starting this thread @Flyingsouthwiththeswallows