Eyelid Eczema

Eczema can be defined as a skin disorder where the skin gets inflamed and causes a lot of irritation. It can affect any part of the body. When it occurs on the eyelid, it is referred to as eyelid eczema. People of any age group including small children can get eczema on the eyelid area. The first sign of this eczema is mild itching of eyelid. With passage of time, the skin becomes dry, flaky and inflamed and the irritation becomes more severe. As a result, one finds it difficult to control the urge to scratch the eyelids. In some cases, especially in children, the skin may even turn weepy.

Causes

The skin around the eyes is extremely sensitive. When it comes in contact with some irritants or allergens, then it can trigger this kind of skin irritation. These allergens can come in various forms like certain ingredients of eye makeup, skin cream, facials cleansers, etc. When you touch the eyes with your nails then the component of nail products or artificial nails can also cause eczema around eyelids. You may notice this after you have switched over from your regular brand of cosmetics to a new one. Or if any of the regular product that you use have changed their ingredients in recent times. Other causes are the irritants from you surroundings like smoke, flowers, latex, cleaning products or detergent soaps. They come in contact with the eyelids either directly or through your hands while rubbing the eyes. Other factors such as sudden change in temperature, spicy foods or alcohol can be held responsible for a specific type of eczema around eyes known as rosacea.

Treatment

The first step of treatment for eyelids is to identify the allergen causing it and make efforts to stay away from that. Use of any cosmetics, skin care products, soaps and shampoos should be avoided. When the symptoms are mild, the skin of the eyelid should be kept well moisturized by applying an emollient. It should be applied with great care, so that it does not get into the eyes and cause irritation. Doctors also prescribe some eye drops that can keep the eyes as well as the areas surrounding them moisturized. For more severe eczema, dermatologists recommend topical application of corticosteroid creams to bring down the inflammation. However, these creams cannot be used for a long time and they tend to make the skin thinner. In recent times, a new treatment involves use of a special drugs known as immunomodulators. Such drugs bring about changes in the inflammatory response of the immune system and reduce the swelling of the skin. These medicines are more expensive than corticosteroids but do not have any adverse side effects on the skin. Those who are looking for a natural cure can directly apply vitamin E oil on the affected area.

Eyelid eczema is not very easily noticeable as the area is really small, which causes delay in the treatment. Therefore, as soon as you observe any signs and symptoms, you must consult a dermatologist. Do not try any self treatment as it may aggravate the condition. This skin disorder can be prevented keeping the skin healthy with a good diet, regular exercises and avoiding possible skin allergens. It is also important to keep the mind free from all sorts of stress.