Dry skin around the eyes is a common problem.
It is not always corrected by simply dabbing on skin lotion or moisturizers.
“Dry skin of the eyelids is frequently referred to as blepharitis (which just means inflammation of the eyelid),” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board certified dermatologic surgeon with Manhattan Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery.
Causes of Dry Skin Around the Eyes
Dr. Engelman explains, “The potential causes of blepharitis are many: allergic contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, irritant dermatitis, so treatment needs to be catered according to the cause.”
Dermatitis (contact and irritant)
• Keep track of anything that can possibly come in contact with the skin under your eyes throughout the day.
• You’d be surprised at what can end up there that you’d never think of.
• This includes household cleaning agents that are on your fingers — that get transferred to the skin beneath your eyes.
• Other possible culprits are pet dander, cosmetics, hair care products, fragrances and chemicals from the workplace.
• Once you’ve figured out what comes in contact with that area, eliminate them as best you can and see what happens.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
- This common problem involves the sebaceous glands. Not only is dry skin a symptom, but often, the skin flakes, itches and appears as a pinkish patch (sometimes with a tinge of dull orange).
- Do not scratch or rub the affected area no matter how badly it itches.
- Your doctor can prescribe an ointment to rid the problem.
Dr. Engelman continues, “Eye irritation can also be a symptom of ocular rosacea, a subtype of the disorder [rosacea] that can potentially be very serious if allowed to become severe.
“Once a medical cause has been ruled out, a nice OTC option to try to mitigate dryness around the eyes are Ocusoft lid scrubs.
“I recommend patients use these twice daily to help cleanse the delicate eye area.”
Versed in the latest techniques and technologies, Dr. Engelman provides a wide range of services including fat removal, mole excision, Mohs surgery and skin cancer treatment.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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