Under EYE rash irritation

I'm so thankful that I found this board even though it is crazy so many people went through the same thing I have. Mine started in February of this year, at first I just thought it was irritation from walking in the cold on campus. Both my eyes got a red, itchy, bumpy rash underneath. And my eyelids would be swollen. I went to the doctor and they though it was some type of blepharitis so he prescribed me an antibiotic and antibiotic eye drops. The antibiotic got rid of it quick and for a few weeks everything went back to normal. But the it came back. I still had some antibiotic eye drops left so I decided to use those. It helped, but sure enough it kept coming back. For months after, I tried to self medicate, taking Benadryl at night if I felt I was going to have a flare up, used Cetaphil, switched make up to hypoallergenic, washed sheets regular, got an air purifier for my bedroom. I tried to tolerate it the best I could but I finally decided to go back to the doctor after dealing with reoccurrences for five months. This time the doctor thinks that it is definitely due to an allergy. He prescribed me steroids, it cleared it up but here I am about two weeks later and it's back. I'm now getting referred to an allergist hoping to find answers soon.
I've never had anything like this before. I've never had any known allergies. And I don't have any other symptoms other than the red, itchy rash under both eyes, and the upper eyelid swelling. If anyone knows of anything else that has helped please let me know!

Solution found (for me): Nizoral shampoo. Had the same thing for months. Tried everything until I read someone mention using antidandruff shampoo which has antifungal properties (specifically, Nizoral shampoo). Tried it, and rash was much better after using it twice, and went away after 1 week. I think that some under eye rash may be fungal? Try it!

I have the same thing, red, itchy, skin dry, swollen and wrinkled. I went to doctor and they wanted to do x-ray??? And gave me nothing. I got Aveeno ultra-calming cleaner and daily moisturizer. This seems to help the best. I looks so bad it is depressing. I did not get the x-rays I feel it is some kind of skin condition. I have tried everything.

I've legit gotten this within the past two months and have no idea how I got it and why I won't go away either. I also have done everything you just said and everything you have described is exactly the same for me. Only difference with mine is that sometimes it goes up into my eye lids and it also can be tender to the touch at some points. If anyone can let me in on how to fix this, please let us know. I'm at the point where seeing a dermatologist or eye doctor is the only thing left now.

I am 27 and this same thing happened to me. I wear make up every day, but I always have. I use Cetaphil to cleanse or Micellar water. I grew up in alabama and have always had problems with allergies but nothing severe. I recently moved to Canada and went back to Alabama to visit and that is when it started. Any creams I tried burned. It turns into dry skin and when the skin peels off it just burns. It's right under my eyes close to my nose and goes out only like an inch or two. Hydrocortisone cream BURNS...all of my eye Creams burn.... So I tried Coconut oil. It helped and it went away for probably a month now it is back under both eyes. It literally is peeling all the time and everything burns. My eyes even water from time to time. I noticed while I was home I wasn't using Cetaphil cleanser and also this week I haven't been using it either so I don't know if that has something to do with it. I'm going to try the salve that someone mentioned in a previous post. But what has helped me most is finding something to keep it moisturized that doesn't burn. Coconut oil, Vaseline, and neosporin have worked best for me and it did clear up after a week the first time then I quit doing so much of the moisturizing and now it is back. I changed make up brands etc and the only common product I can think of would be switching my face wash. It's just so weird because I had acne in high school and used super harsh chemicals and it just now happened when I am 27. I am miserable not too mention it is so red I feel like I look like I'm crying blood and if I use concealer it just looks like scales under my eyes. If anyone finds out a true diagnosis please let me know.

Try a &d ointment. In the baby section. I put it on every night after I shower. It seemed to take away the flakiness.

Glasses lenses at the irritation spots may be the problem! I notice the same thing since I wear sunglasses a lot including while at a computer all day long and in my always bright home environment.

I plan to take it easy on sunglasses use and clear the skin up. The lower lens of Oakley Prizm Trail sunglasses has an edge to it and if the ear pieces are NOT flat to the ears then it is abrasive below eyes due to the lower lens resting there.

You’re describing exactly what I have. It seems to happen in fall and spring and for me, certain times of my mrndtral cycle so I believe it’s allergy and hormone related . I would love to get to the root of this to know how to treat. Have you discovered a diagnosis or treatment for yours yet?

The medication Valtrex will help. It is used to treat herpes zoster, shingles and some other things but that will help to get rid of the irritation

Valtrex will help.

Try a plant based diet or cleansefor 7 days.

Thanks for the question. I changes sunglasses away from the Oakley rubber nose pieces & lenses that touched skin to a pair with plastic nose pieces that do NOT touch skin with lenses. I cleared up the skin with 2/day topical 2% over the counter cortisone cream.

My husband started having this problem a month ago. Just under his eyes would get dark red and puffy then start to wrinkle and flake.
I’m a Nurse and I’m so sorry to all the people who are going though this. And I am more sorry that no one seems to be able to help.
The reason I think is that several different people are having unrelated illnesses that are presenting with the same or similar symptoms so when something works for someone it doesn’t work for others. If you don’t have dandruff then the shampoo isn’t going to help you. If you don’t normally have severe allergies than sinus and allergy medication won’t help.
The cause for my husband was autoimmune. He has no other problems, totally healthy. With autoimmune diseases it will disappear and reoccur at random times and is worsened by stress, direct sunlight and sometimes some food.
It was hard to accept that he had an autoimmune disease that did nothing but irritate his under eye area, but it was true. We are not a hippy house and use actual scientific based medicine rather than ‘spirit healing’ or other do nothing advice.
When you get a flare up the are 1 of 3 ways to clear it up. Use whichever one works best for you. I’m sorry to say that there is no easy cure and that changing your shampoo will not get rid of it. This is a permanent condition. It’s small and annoying and you are very lucky that it is not and autoimmune disease that is systemic like Lupus (although lupus patients get a similar but much bigger rash under the eyes)
The good news is this is a very mild autoimmune reaction and not a full autoimmune disease. When treated it goes away quickly, usually within a day.

Option 1: Cipro 500mg twice daily.
This is an antibiotic that works very well. It’s not the main function of the drug but it seem to tell your system to stop attacking itself. Usually 2 days is enough though to get rid of the symptoms. A first treatment may require 10 days.

Option 2: Fluconazole 1 pill daily for 3 days.
This is an antifungal medication that also seems to work well at telling your immune system to stop attacking itself.

Option 3: prednisone. 50mg 1-3 days
Prednisone is a mild steroid that has the side effect of suppressing your immune system.

These are all prescription drugs. Your doctor can prescribe them or they can be purchased online. It’s a good idea to keep what ever one works best for you on hand so that as soon as something starts to flare up you can stop the autoimmune cascade.
Also a regular NSAID like Advil will usually help with the symptoms, but is not strong enough by itself.
Other prescription drugs that disrupt your bodies immune response may work for you, however these are the 3 that are the easiest to get, lowest cost, and least side effects.

I know this is very old but I came here looking for answers, but found mostly questions. I have gone to an ophthalmologist and a dermatologist and I wanted to share what I've been told.

My symptoms include red itchy scaly skin around eyes, from inside of my bridge on both sides and down to my cheek bone. There is dryness on top eyelids and in the inside crease but not as bad as the lower. It is much more irritated and itchy at night and in the morning it is so crusty and dry it is painful to even wash. This dryness has caused deep intense wrinkles even on the lid, I am 30 and these are not normal for my age. It has changed how I look and how I feel about myself drastically. Inside of the wrinkles, some have fissures that ooze clear liquid, and I continuously have strings of white mucus floating across my eye that I have to pull out. Bags under my eyes are red, and usually huge and it seriously looks like I got punched in the eye.

I have grave's disease which is an autoimmune disease, but I do not have the graves ophthalmology disease. So my symptoms are a combination of having an autoimmune disease and AN ALLERGY.

I have never had allergies, but the dermatologist immediately said this is an allergy, this is not because of your autoimmunity, but it is exacerbated by it. The ophthalmologist said the same. She actually said that dry eyes and allergies work together to make the worst combo ever, aka what most of us seem to be experiencing.

from the dermatologist:
I was prescribed hydrocortisone cream for the tissue under my eyes to help the itching and swelling, to apply for 10 days. I was also told to take regular allergy medicine (like Benadryl). No makeup for 5 days to help clear up the symptoms before they cause permanent damage.
I was told to make sure I am not getting my shampoo and conditioner on my face in the shower, and told to buy VANICREAM lotion, barsoap, and face wash. I am having an allergy test in 2 weeks to see exactly what it is I am allergic to whether it be environmental or a product.

I started these products last night and today I look significantly better (the bag of swelling under my right eye last night was so big it was in my field of vision). Also I have always had pretty dry skin and the lotion even though it doesn't smell nice, makes my skin feel great.

the ophthalmologist:
said she wanted to put me on a hydrocortisone but I told her about the other script. She said to use chilled (like put in the fridge) non-preserved refresh optic advance, refresh plus, or blink artificial tears 4 or more times a day as needed. She said this would help with the burning and would help to heal the ducts in the eyelids that produce oils to keep the skin and eyes that are so dry and crusty and to continue after this has passed to help the eyes stay moisturized.

She also suggested that I not wash my face with very hot water, only warm, as this makes the skin worse. Using hot compresses in the shower for 3 mins or a heat mask with gel beads for 15-30 mins at night. She said a cool compress will relieve itching, because scratching that tissue can cause serious damage. Using a cool mist humidifier at night can also help the skin not be so hard and crusty in the morning. stay hydrated and drink lots of water, this helps the eyes and the skin.

This is the most important thing I learned:
YOU CAN DEVELOP AN ALLERGY AT ANY TIME. I never knew! I've never had allergies in my life but the longer you live in an area apparently the more likely you are to develop sensitivity to allergies from that environment. Please please if you can afford it go to the doctor, get an allergy test and get a topical steroid.

if you can't go to a doctor: The eye products are all OTC, the vanicream soaps and lotions though a little pricey are worth it (the bar soap and lotion are available at Walgreens and target for about $20 for Both and the face wash was $9) look for things that say they are safe for allergies but most products like this are a little expensive. Look online for coupons, but Walgreens usually has a buy 2 get 1 free deal on these. I am taking an off brand antihistamine instead of Benadryl it was $4. There are OTC hydrocortisone creams in lower concentrations for about $5 (like 1%) but I think my script is only for 2%. I was advised to use it 2x daily so maybe keep applying the OTC version.

so really, for about $30 you can try these options and see if they work for you, even if its just the bar soap and the hydrocortisone, because the lotion shouldn't be near the eyes with the hydrocortisone on that area, but using your regular face lotion may also be the culprit.

I hope this helps someone because I know what you are all going through and I'm sorry! good luck everyone

Oh my gosh. I am experiencing the same thing. Paper like cuts under the eyes and in the creases.....swollen, red, and my right eye will not stop tearing up.... It's been weeks now. Anyone know what this really is?