alisoncooks Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 If you have eczema (or other chronic skin conditions), do you deal with eyelid issues? Youngest DD's skin probs tend to hop from one body part to the next. Right now we're trying to get an eczema flare under control on her arms (inner elbow/crook) -- this is a common spot for her. (Her others are corners of mouth and ear creases.) Yesterday I noticed her eyelids are red/puffy/almost blistered in some spots. Some peeling and scaliness, too. (In short, a lot like her eczema.) I didn't even knew this was a thing! I'm making sure she's getting her daily Benadryl just in case (she also has allergies) and trying to soothe/protect it with verrrry thin layer of Vaseline. Has anyone had a similar reaction? Do you have eczema? How do you treat it? (I'm putting a call in to her dermatologist -- we already have 2 types of steroids here -- but I don't want to put anything near her eyes!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Those areas are common spots for seborrhea as well..might want to look into that. Also, many times what I thought was eczema alone was actually a yeast/fungal infection aggravating things. It think that is actually really common. Cortisone stung and didn't really help, but anti fungal cream knocked it out almost immediately. When I get that red/inflamed/yuck in the corners of my nose or behind my ears the anti fungal always clears it right up. I've heard others have a similar issue but bacterial. That said, I wouldn't smear anti fungal on her eyes, but maybe try the other spots to see if it works there to get more info. And if you have an antibacterial ointment safe for eyes, like stye medicine, maybe try that? Otherwise, cool compresses and such? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I'm dealing with eczema, too. I recently found "Dr Dray", a dermatologist who has a collection of videos on skin care, conditions, products, etc. on youtube. (Are we allowed to post links to youtube? I'll remove if necessary!) Here's one about eyelids that might help! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 2 hours ago, alisoncooks said: If you have eczema (or other chronic skin conditions), do you deal with eyelid issues? Youngest DD's skin probs tend to hop from one body part to the next. Right now we're trying to get an eczema flare under control on her arms (inner elbow/crook) -- this is a common spot for her. (Her others are corners of mouth and ear creases.) Yesterday I noticed her eyelids are red/puffy/almost blistered in some spots. Some peeling and scaliness, too. (In short, a lot like her eczema.) I didn't even knew this was a thing! I'm making sure she's getting her daily Benadryl just in case (she also has allergies) and trying to soothe/protect it with verrrry thin layer of Vaseline. Has anyone had a similar reaction? Do you have eczema? How do you treat it? (I'm putting a call in to her dermatologist -- we already have 2 types of steroids here -- but I don't want to put anything near her eyes!) A friend had blepharitis. I can't remember.the cause, but it looked like a combo of pink eye and peeling skin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 5 hours ago, Seasider too said: Another possibility is blepharitis. Cliradex wipes can help, and/or washing the lids and lashes with baby shampoo. This can present as red rims, sometimes with flaking skin, on the upper and lower eyelids around the eye lashes. Warm compresses are also recommended, along with the cleaning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Have you cut dairy from the diet? My dds eczema is way worse on dairy. She 17 so I let her decide if ice cream is worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted August 21, 2019 Author Share Posted August 21, 2019 Thanks for all the feedback. I did come across blepharitis in my googling. DD's symptoms don't seem to affect the eye at all, just upper lid. But still, maybe? No weeping or crusting, just irritated skin. @Ktgrok - I've wondered about fungal stuff. We've been to the dermatologist a dozen times for her. Sometimes I wonder if I should be pushing allergy testing more (she'll get better for a while and I let it drop...but there's always a repeat. Surely there's a trigger?) They say the mouth corner issue is from licking/saliva (like a littles do, right?). Idk - DD is 10 and doesn't do that. It's just a place that flares repeatedly, if not managed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted August 21, 2019 Author Share Posted August 21, 2019 2 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said: Have you cut dairy from the diet? My dds eczema is way worse on dairy. She 17 so I let her decide if ice cream is worth it. No but this kid doesn't do *much* dairy. Is occasional cheese or ice cream enough to cause problems? (She doesn't drink milk or eat yogurt...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 1 minute ago, alisoncooks said: No but this kid doesn't do *much* dairy. Is occasional cheese or ice cream enough to cause problems? (She doesn't drink milk or eat yogurt...) For mine it is. Or your kid could be allergic to some other food. Eggs are a common culprit. Google “eczema causing foods” and see if a favorite pops upz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) 56 minutes ago, alisoncooks said: Thanks for all the feedback. I did come across blepharitis in my googling. DD's symptoms don't seem to affect the eye at all, just upper lid. But still, maybe? No weeping or crusting, just irritated skin. @Ktgrok - I've wondered about fungal stuff. We've been to the dermatologist a dozen times for her. Sometimes I wonder if I should be pushing allergy testing more (she'll get better for a while and I let it drop...but there's always a repeat. Surely there's a trigger?) They say the mouth corner issue is from licking/saliva (like a littles do, right?). Idk - DD is 10 and doesn't do that. It's just a place that flares repeatedly, if not managed. worth trying some over the counter yeast infection or athletes foot cream on the elbow/corners of mouth/nose and seeing if it helps. For me it's pretty quick improvement. I think mine is seborrhea, not true eczema, and one of the treatments for seborrhea is fungal medication (dandruff of the scalp is a form of seborrhea and dandruff shampoo is usually an anti fungal). Found this - and eyelids are another spot it says it happens. https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/types-of-eczema/seborrheic-dermatitis/ Edited August 21, 2019 by Ktgrok 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I get eczema on my nose between my eyes. I also get it on one side of my mouth and on my wrist and inner elbow. It can get pretty flakey looking, dry, and red. Mine is stress related and a little bit of food allergies. Eggs and gluten are my triggers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) Sadly, one of my new patches that constantly likes to break out is on my eyelid. I've never found anything but steroids to be helpful. That being said, it can cause thinning of the eyelid and other problems. I would talk to a dermatologist. Edited August 21, 2019 by frogger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 Supposedly the seborrhea type is not allergy related, unlike other forms of eczema. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 6 hours ago, alisoncooks said: They say the mouth corner issue is from licking/saliva (like a littles do, right?). Idk - DD is 10 and doesn't do that. It's just a place that flares repeatedly, if not managed. Does she use Chapstick or any lip balm? One of my kids developed an allergy to paraben and something else common in lip balm and got a horrific rash around her mouth. It took us forever to figure out what it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 3 minutes ago, katilac said: Does she use Chapstick or any lip balm? One of my kids developed an allergy to paraben and something else common in lip balm and got a horrific rash around her mouth. It took us forever to figure out what it was. around the mouth, nose, eyelids, behind ears, etc are places with lots of oil secretions comparatively, to protect mucus membranes or maybe to protect skin from snot/tears/saliva, I don't know, but those are the spots for Seborrhea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted August 21, 2019 Author Share Posted August 21, 2019 5 hours ago, Ktgrok said: worth trying some over the counter yeast infection or athletes foot cream on the elbow/corners of mouth/nose and seeing if it helps. For me it's pretty quick improvement. I think mine is seborrhea, not true eczema, and one of the treatments for seborrhea is fungal medication (dandruff of the scalp is a form of seborrhea and dandruff shampoo is usually an anti fungal). Found this - and eyelids are another spot it says it happens. https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/types-of-eczema/seborrheic-dermatitis/ Interesting. She already has a prescription for ketoconazole for her scalp (persistent dandruff that won't clear up with OTC stuff). I'm going to ask if it can be used on her body was well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 14 minutes ago, alisoncooks said: Interesting. She already has a prescription for ketoconazole for her scalp (persistent dandruff that won't clear up with OTC stuff). I'm going to ask if it can be used on her body was well... Yeah, I bet she has the same stuff going on in the other places as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 This is in the realm of scope of care for an ophthalmologist, fwiw. If the person with eczema also has blepharitis (which is SUPER common), we do an eye hygiene routine of: regular maintenance: eyelid washing with baby shampoo, with a super good rinse if they can tolerate it flareups: hot wash cloth soak for 10 minutes, followed by a wipe with a OcuSoft lid scrub PLUS wipe. (Not the regular, Plus only---different formulation). It's super common for people with blepharitis to have other issues with their meibomian glands which can lead to chalazions, etc. If the person with eczema also has allergic conjunctivitis (which is also common): we do the hygiene routine mentioned above + daily allergy eye drop + a mast stabilizer drug steroid allergy eye drop during times of flareup + lubricating eye drop if the cornea is being involved (IE---watch for blurry vision with the person who has eczema--could be keratis or a punctate cornea or atopicc keratoconus) and for flareups we also do a round of doxycycline If it is eczema on the eyelid skin only (only 1/7 of us so far in our household): then we use a cream that is safe for optic use also. Inevitably, it will work its way into the eye. We don't do steroid creams for more than a week, but there are some other good options out there. I'm writing all of this to say: 1. there's medical care specific for eyelids and 2. keep a close watch on vision. We've had a kid who has had their corneas affected who has needed aggressive treatment to preserve vision. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 I get eczema flareups most often on fingers, sometimes inside elbow, neck or jawline, above upper lip. I try not to use steroids on my face, and I have also found that I can use the weakest strength of triamcinolone. I do like the ointment form more than the cream (I use 1%) and it usually doesn't take more than a day or two of use to end a flare. My dermatologist did say I can use this ointment on my eyelids if needed. Hasn't happened in awhile but that was actually the first spot hit when my eczema returned 5 or so years ago (after nothing for 20-30 years). I find Eucerin cream for my face very soothing for daily maintenance, but I wouldn't use it if you have even a hint of acne. Very thick. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 8 minutes ago, Seasider too said: I’m going to point back to blepharitis, as it often occurs woth dandruff. Blepharitis comes in two forms, one along the lash line (along the edge but outside the eyelid), and inside, up under the eyelid. Both are related to oil gland function. Is she showing other signs of puberty? Because this is a common age of onset for both dandruff and blepharitis. ETA as mentioned upthread, doxycycline is a treatment but truly, you want to keep it under control before having to go that route (long term doxy) due to side effects to teeth and sun sensitivity. Going gluten free makes a big difference for me, though triggers vary by individual. Yes, and note that if she is using ketoconazole, and it is working, she is dealing with a fungal aspect to her dandruff. Ketoconazole can bring down inflammation--but when they've done studies of people with eczema + dandruff + ketoconazole---a lot of the sampling showed a particular type of fungus. And, yes, avoiding doxy should be the goal. We tried GFCF (and failed) but that's an excellent tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bensmom2 Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 We spent months fighting my son’s eczema with multiple prescriptions from the dermatologist that all contained warnings not to use more than 10 days because it would thin the delicate skin of the eyelid too much. Nothing the dermatologist tried helped. Finally, we did allergy testing. We had no idea he was regularly eating several things he was allergic to. Voila! The skin cleared with no medication as soon as we eliminated these foods. His tummy troubles also went away and he has more energy and is generally less irritable. My advice, get allergy tested ASAP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted August 22, 2019 Author Share Posted August 22, 2019 @Bensmom2 - ouch! I'm so glad you got to the bottom of what was causing it! My DD also has had tummy troubles - chronic constipation when she was little (though I think she's mostly outgrown that). I'll definitely look into the allergy testing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 Oh my goodness, I deal with this on a regular basis. I cannot wear any makeup and only wash my face with water. The ONLY thing that clears up the eczema on my eyelids is CeraVe. I put it on morning and night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted August 22, 2019 Author Share Posted August 22, 2019 28 minutes ago, aaplank said: Oh my goodness, I deal with this on a regular basis. I cannot wear any makeup and only wash my face with water. The ONLY thing that clears up the eczema on my eyelids is CeraVe. I put it on morning and night. I'm a huge fan of Cerave products. Do you use anything in particular? I was thinking about their Healing Ointment or the eczema oil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 5 hours ago, alisoncooks said: I'm a huge fan of Cerave products. Do you use anything in particular? I was thinking about their Healing Ointment or the eczema oil... I use the Moisturizing Cream that comes in the short, squat jar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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