recurring rash around eyes
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Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:58 am

Hi,

I'm new here. I found this forum while looking for a solution for my daughter's problem ("cracks at corners of mouth") and found some good info there, so I thought I'd try it with a problem of my own.

For three to five months (hard to say exactly when it started), I've had a recurring red rash around my eyes. The confounding this is that it comes and goes, gets better and worse, and changes form from day to day, week to week.

Some of the symptoms are:

Redness
Puffiness
Wrinkliness
Flakiness
A horizontal red crease halfway down the under-eye bag
Itching and/or burning

The left eye is usually (but not always) worse. The upper lids are mostly recovered, but the under-eye area continues to be problematic. The pattern does not follow any pattern in my routine in terms of sleeping, diet, activities, and so on.

My first thought was a new skincare product--Cetaphil--but I have stopped using it. After some research, I thought it might be related to an imbalance in minerals such as potassium/magnesium/lithium. The latter two, I began taking (over-the-counter) for headaches. Apparently lithium can be a problem at clinical doses, but I'm talking about 5 mg per day for a total of 45 days. I stopped that anyway.

I had been taking the magnesium for some time already…tried stopping it…no effect…started it again. Then I added potassium. No effect yet. My research also suggests thyroid conditions might be a factor. I've been on Synthroid for over 10 years but will soon find out what it's like to stop taking it because insurance no longer covers it.

I had a regular eye exam during this time and the doctor found my eyes perfectly healthy. I'm using no new linens, detergents, scents, or anything else.

I am at my wits' end. I'm a female just turning 50 and looked very young for my age until this started. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

free skin care · Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:51 pm

If its persistant then it sounds liek it may be a fungal issue - I had something like this (exactly the same symptoms) develope on my forehead and it would seem to begin to heal then come back. My doctor gave me some Caneston HC cream (anti-fugal with hydrocortisone) which took away the itching and calmed the redness while the anti fungal treatment did its job. It cleared within a week (you have to use it for a week after its cleared too)I was concerned aout using the HC on my face but it was very low dose and I was assured short term use woudl not cause an issue.

Its likely I got it as I was run down/stressed. I work with horses probably scratched my face or pushed my hair out of my eyes so may have picked it up then; or as my Doc says it could just be a thrush type rash, we all have the yeast living on our skin normally but its only when it gets a hold it can cause problems usually due to stress/being run down etc.

Might be worth trying some Caneston cream on it. (Don't use Hydrocortisone without treating the infection too).

HTH's

free skin care · Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:24 pm

are there any over the counter fungal creams? And are they effective?

free skin care · Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:47 pm

I would not use any anti fungal creams near or around your eyes without a doctors consent. I am the same age and have noticed that my eyes have gotten very red and itchy and have being told I have dry eye also I have changed my skin regime to Origins as my skin has gotten very sensitive due to the stage I am at in life (the unmentionable word which starts with M) my skin is now back to a teenagers wish the rest of my body would revert!!
I do not know where you live but I would if I was you visit an eye doctor and get his opinion

free skin care · Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:28 pm

The only product I can think of that might help is a good quality Emu Oil. Emu is know to help many skin issues. When my grandson was an infant he was prone to the worse diaper rash I had ever seen. Apparently he was sensitive to many things he ate.As a result waste matter irritated and burned his skin. Sad

The only product that had marked results was Emu oil. If you decide to try it I would suggest Dremu as sold here on EDS. Dremu is triple refined. There are other triple refined Emu oils besides Dremu. Try a search on google.

Quote:

Emu Oil and Skin Rashes
Emu oil has been used for thousands of years by Australian aboriginals to treat a variety of skin conditions. It is an excellent component of good skin care, whether prevention, symptom relief or accelerated healing of skin rashes is the goal.

Emu oil contains natural anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and bacteriostatic agents, which promote faster healing and help prevent scarring. As a moisturizer, it penetrates deep into the skin, without leaving a greasy film, and is non-comedogenic (won’t clog the pores).

free skin care · Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:51 pm

I had a similar rash last summer. It was caused by using and older eye cream. My Dr. gave me an Rx cream to use for two weeks. He said if it didn't resolve I would have to see a derm. It took three weeks but finally went away. Now if I have anything close to the expiration date I throw it away.

Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:08 am

Thank you, all of you. I have some ides to try now. It's weird to think that a fungal infection could arise suddenly, yet anything is possible, and one possibility is that the Cetaphil did such a great job of clearing up my skin that it killed some good bacteria and allowed the fungi to flourish.

Other than the eye problem, my skin is as smooth and clear as it's been in 35 years!

Thanks again. Other thoughts still welcome. Smile

Lisa

Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:32 pm

Something worked for me...

I have the same symptom as most. Began w/ eyes tearing at corner, reddish rash commenced and it just would not go away. I tried many of the solutions including dandruff shampoo, yogurt and calendula oil. Calendula oil worked for a day or so, then the condition flared up again...ok, here is what worked..

My girlfriend researched that a cream called 'Magicream' contained certain Asian herbs. We did not use the cream because we did not find it where we live and so she went to Chinatown and got four of the five herbs in an herb shop, just to see. We tried one application and worked quite well. I went back and got a larger portion and all five herbs this time. It cleared everything up in less than a week! Here is what to get and how to apply. Herbs are:

Chuan Shen
Wubeizi
Zaojiaoci
Kushen
Huangbo

Ask for “two hand fulls” (an amount you can hold in the palms of your two hands), you boil the mixture in four cups of cold water. As soon as it starts to boil, reduce heat and reduce to one cup. Let it cool and apply over eyes w/ a compress (rag in the mixture, apply over eyes, leave 15 minutes or so…) and that did it for me! First application, you see it working. By the third day it is mostly gone. All disappears by the fifth day. Make sure you do the compresses morning and then again in the evening.

Most large cities have Chinese herb shops, here is where I got mine. They're really nice people and I am sure they will help you:

Lou Young Inc.
74A Mott Street
NY, NY 10013
212 334 2448

Best of luck!

free skin care · Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:17 am

Cetaphil is a pretty basic cleanser that does not excessively kill off bacteria.

Because you don't know for sure what it is I would not treat it with anything and go see a derm. Trying to treat it when you don't know the problem can make it worse and just prolong the problem.

Regarding your thyroid meds, cant your dr switch you to something else that your insurance will cover? If not contact the company who makes it, many drug co's offer assistance or even free meds. Its worth checking into.

Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:43 pm

I have been suffering from a rash around my eyes, eye brows, and mouth that started in December 2008. I have a history of eczema so I always thought it was eczema and no doctor (even a naturopath) was able to help me with it. Cortisone seemed to help a little, but nothing ever got rid of the issue (including a drastic change in my diet which involved a 10 day fast).

Recently I discovered that I have demodex. A mite that usually lives in the eyelash and eye brow follicle, but in 10% of people who have them the demodex cause an infection and spread...causing a rash. I would encourage anyone who has symptoms of an unexplained rash on their face to get a skin scraping for demodex.

If you google "Demodex Solutions" you will come to a helpful website. I can't link to it because the forum thinks I'm spam! I have been using prodcuts from their website and like them so far. I've read so many forums about people suffering from the same issue I have been dealing with, I just want to spread the knowledge. Our doctors need to become better informed about this disease!

I was able to daignose myself at home using a store-bought microscope and I did my own scrapings. Unfortunately I've found that no doctor really knows how to help me with this.

Good luck!

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