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Original poster

Please tell me wtf is wrong with my eyes!

38 replies

YouPrettyThings · 08/01/2022 15:17

In the last 4 days the skin around my eyes has flared up - dry, itchy, red, swollen with giant creased folds on my eyelids and under my eyes... I've attached a photo, sorry it's a bit blurry - the swelling is much much worse when I wake up. I don't normally have any issues with my skin with only a few fine lines around my eyes. The rest of my face is fine - my skincare isn't fancy and fairly cheap, I've been using Simple micellar cleansing water and Simple refreshing face wash to clean my face then moisturise with Cetaphil day moisturiser or night moisturiser and the eye gel-cream for the last 12 months.

After the flare up I stopped cleansing my eyes and now just rinse them in the shower and I replaced the cetaphil eye cream with a 10% urea face cream which didn't help then after some reading thought it was perhaps eczema brought on by the very cold weather so bought some hydrocortisone (1% - as recommended on eczema.org for eczema around the eyes) which caused immense swelling although the itchiness went. Maybe I need to go to the dr but they're not open until Monday and wondered if any Mumsnetters had any advice please?

Please tell me wtf is wrong with my eyes!
OP posts:
JustLikea · 08/01/2022 15:40

Try some anti histamines. You can buy cheap generic ones which work brilliantly.

One type has an ingredient beginning with L the other with a C the latter I find more effective for itchy, rashes on skin

JustLikea · 08/01/2022 15:41

Cetrizine hydrochloride is the ingredient you want

HairyFeline · 08/01/2022 15:44

I don’t know if this is helpful, but when I had a mild/moderate scalp psoriasis flare up recently, my eyes were similar to yours. I used the shampoo that starts with N (bright pink/pharmacy) and dabbed hydrocortisone cream around eyes and after a week both had cleared up. HC crab said not to use it on eye area but I was pretty desperate as GP appt impossible to get. Hope you have some luck!

JMAngel1 · 08/01/2022 15:45

Have you eaten anything unusual for you? New laundry detergent that you’ve then used a towel to dry your eyes? New shampoo or conditioner? Been in a lot of air conditioning or very hot central heating?

chickensafari · 08/01/2022 16:54

It could be an eczema type reaction, have you changed any of your make up or skincare products?

DO you use Micellar water?

I developed eczema around my eyes as a reaction to Maybelline waterproof mascara which I'd used for years without any problem (the GP sent me for allergy testing at the hospital and they tested all my
products). I managed to get rid of it by stopping using any mascara, and using a v small amount of hydrocortisone. Then recently I reacted again, this time to Micellar water (the pink lidded one) and there was a post on here where lots of other people had had a similar reaction to the same thing. I've never used it since, and my eyes are fine now but if I do use mascara for a night out it can come back if I dont carefully remove every last bit.

ffscovid · 08/01/2022 17:01

My eyes went like this when I had a minor allergic reaction (not to anything applied to the eye area). Have you eaten anything new, tried new cosmetics/ shower gel / moisturisers etc.? Dyed your hair?

Try some Piriton or another anti-histamine.

Original poster
YouPrettyThings · 08/01/2022 17:15

Thanks for all your replies! I have been taking an antihistimine every day since the flare up to cover that one off.

The only thing I have changed is using micellar water as part of a new year improved skin care regime - and I used it on my eyes to clear off make up @chickensafarichickensafari so that's interesting that you mention it.

@JMAngel1 and @ffscovid As well as the micellar water (which looks like the probable cause) I've started to drink coffee in place of tea and diet coke. Caffeine can cause rashes but my caffeine levels have remained fairly constant, I can't find anything online about coffee specifically but I might ease off that for a while anyway!

@HairyFeline I might persevere with the hydrocortisone then and wear sunglasses each time I leave the house! Grin

Thanks everyone

OP posts:
JMAngel1 · 08/01/2022 17:41

Ahh the micelles water is new? There’s your culprit there. Think you will have to eliminate it and see if eyes improve.

AlDanvers · 08/01/2022 17:44

I got very very similar. It was the touch eclat. I had had it before, several times and no problem. Then my eyes did what yours are. Stopped using it and it went away.

I am guessing it the micellar water in your case. X

chickensafari · 08/01/2022 18:34

Looks like you've found the cuplrit! Surprising how many people have had a nasty reaction to Micellar water, its not as gentle as it makes out to be.

Once you've managed to get on top of the eczema, if you're looking for a very gentle way to remove eye make up I found these amazing make-up removing cloths in B&M for around £2- they take everything off without you needing to use any other cleaner at all just warm water and these magical cloths. I can link to them if it helps.

I

MunsteadWood · 08/01/2022 18:43

I had a flare of this a couple of years ago. In my case it was due to pregnancy increasing allergy symptoms (not saying this is the case for you!!) But I managed to get it under control with a combination of hydrocortisone smeared on very thinly and Neals Yard white tea eye gel, which is lovely and soothing.

russiandwarf · 08/01/2022 19:04

I have also had this before a few times, a reaction to a product I had used - probably miscellar now I think about it. I used sudocrem to calm the redness before bed. The only things to really get rid of it were my eczema hydrocortisone (which I shouldn't have dabbed round eyes but I was desperate!) and recently a CBD facial oil from Aldi which really cleared it up very quickly. That was an experiment so I was pleasantly surprised!

Scornedwoman67 · 08/01/2022 19:55

@AlDanvers

I got very very similar. It was the touch eclat. I had had it before, several times and no problem. Then my eyes did what yours are. Stopped using it and it went away.

I am guessing it the micellar water in your case. X

Touch Eclat does that to me too!
ThePontiacBandit · 08/01/2022 20:03

I have contact dermatitis on my hands (form of eczema) and I can’t use micellar water. It may take a few days to settle down. I’m sure I was told by a pharmacy not to use hydrocortisone cream on my face so I would stop that! Might be worth getting a cooling gel eye mask you can get cold in the fridge? If it’s still bad after a week, contact your GP.

DDMAC · 08/01/2022 21:30

Have you been wearing a face mask more than usual? I had a similar reaction around the beginning of covid, Dr said it was from my breath going upwards towards my eyes rather than outward

Seniorandjunior · 08/01/2022 22:33

I find plain old Vaseline is the best when this happens me. I hate Micellar waters, personal thing, but I find the ones I’ve tried a little irritating. (Granted that’s only 2 or 3). But yeah, Vaseline. It’s the dogs.

MassDebate · 09/01/2022 10:07

Miscellar water irritates my eye area too - that’s almost certainly your culprit

Beachgirl33 · 09/01/2022 11:18

I didn’t get in with micellar water at all. My eyes get really itchy and puffy. Stop using that. Be patient. I would bathe your eyes in cold water and then use aqueous cream to moisturise. It’s about a £1 a tube from chemist. Do this a few times a day. Do not use hydrocortisone on your eyes. The skin is too fragile. Keep taking antihistamine. The only eye make up remover I can use is the Clinique liquid take the day off, Decleor and No 7. All other creamy cleansers and wipes make my eyes sore. Take your eye make up off and then go over your eyes with cotton pads and cold water to remove any product residue then moisturise. Once they are on the mend I use a smear of Vaseline every night under my eyes to moisturise. I cannot get on with eye creams. I’ve wasted loads of money trying expensive ones. Good luck x

JustLikea · 09/01/2022 11:29

The only micellar water my skin approves of is Bioderma.

My sensitive eyes approve of Nivea double effects eye make up remover.

I don't rub my eyes I just place the moistened pad on my eyes till it melts the mascara and I can gently oat abs and wipe away

JustLikea · 09/01/2022 11:31

*gently rub ( I think I meant to say Confused)

BusterGonad · 09/01/2022 14:05

Bepanthen nappy rash cream is the best thing imo to get your eyes back to normal. It's very greasy but I get really really sore eyes like yours every 6 months or so. It has B5 in it which will restore your skins protective barrier. Trust me. It works.

BusterGonad · 09/01/2022 14:06

Vaseline won't do much as its just a barrier, so won't let moisture in or out.

MunsteadWood · 09/01/2022 15:09

As a general rule you shouldn't use hydrocortisone on your eyes (or anywhere on your face really) and pharmacies will always make that clear. But when I had this problem a GP friend said that if I used it only very sparingly and for the shortest possible time until the problem started to clear up it was ok. I think I only used it for 2-3 days (couple of times a day, very VERY thinly applied) before it started to get better and I switched to just the Neals Yard eye gel.

MunsteadWood · 09/01/2022 15:10

But that said I'm not a doctor! So don't forget take my medical advice. Can you speak to your GP?

MunsteadWood · 09/01/2022 15:12

@MunsteadWood

But that said I'm not a doctor! So don't forget take my medical advice. Can you speak to your GP?
So don't take my medical advice, that should have said...