Swollen itchy eyes and lip rash/sores

[Danni0099]

For the past 10 years I have had really sensitive lips and have only been able to use one type of lip balm. As anything else - lip sticks of glosses give me little sores on my lips and cause them to puff up and get little scabs and peel contantly - i also get dry patches under my eyes and eye lids. When I visited a doctor they told me I may have an allergy to nail polish and an ingrediant in lip glosses/balms its also happens when I were nail polish. After removing it it usually clears up within a week.

Recently I havent even be able to use my usual lip balm as my lips react to that as well and my eyes are puffing up and getting extremly itchy and stinging. I was heading overseas for 3 weeks and the doctor have me some tablets to take to clear up my lips as she said they looked like they had a staff infection. Whilst I was OS all my symptoms cleared up completely and within 2 days of returing home everything started up again!

A week after I had been back,I woke up in the monring and my eyes were completely closed over and extremly swollen. I visited a doctor and they said I might have hives or some type of allergy. I was put on antihistmines and a course of panafcortelone, which helped with the eye swelling and the lips alittle. but now i have reduced the amount of panafcortelone I take daily as I am at the end of my course, as have been told it isnt something I can take long term and my eyes are becoming more irrated and puffy and my lips sore are getting worse.
I havent changed any make up lately or products like toothpaste, washing powder.

Does anyone have any sugguestions what it might be, as its dirvinbg me crazy!!!!

[Helen1952]

Hi all. I have read most of these comments and I can see that I have not been alone in my problem.

I am from New Zealand but I spend 3 months each year in America. I have always had slight allergies while there but never anything I couldnt handle. Last year though, while in America,  I got hit with a very severe allergy - serious racoon eyes, itchy, red, puffy and bad enough that I wore sunglasses for weeks everywhere I went!  And very itchy sore puffy lips. I was utterly miserable. I was prescribed prednisone but as soon as I went off it the allergies came back.  Then, three weeks before I was due to leave America and return to New Zealand, I was prescribed enough prednisone to get me back to NZ. After I returned to NZ and finished the prednisone the allergies returned in a much milder and bearable form and after a month they went away completely. I am now back to my normal mild allergies and for months have not had a recurrance of what I had in America.

I didn't change my skin or makeup products throughout this allergy period. I am still using what I was using when I developed this allergy and have no reaction to any of it.  

I suspect there is something in the air or the water or the food or the cleaning products in America that is causing this. I actually blamed it on black mold that was in the house I was staying in but I was never sure if it was that. The key thing is that it appears that whatever I reacted to in America is not present in my New Zealand environment. I  will be returning to America this year and when I do I am hoping and praying this problem doesn't return. Will keep you posted!

[redeye9]

Dear All:
I have been suffering with these symptoms for going on four years.   I am convinced the source is viral, not an allergic reaction.  That aside, here is how I have coped with the symptoms:

Lips:   Carmex.  Seems slightly more effective than Aquafor... but you have to deal with the slightly medicinal taste/smell.
Eyes:  Pataday.  It's an allergy relief drop.  Very effective, and my eye doc says you can use it pretty much indefinitely.  If the irritation is not too bad, though, I use Systane wetting drops instead. (I get the vials, without preservatives.  You can recap the vials and use it over the course of a day.)
Red skin:  Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Night Crème.  Amazing stuff.  I don't know what's in it, but it quickly calms down irritation.  Another choice is Triple Paste.

My daughter gets itchy, dry skin, particular in the winter.  Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Calming Itch-Relief Treatment seems to help with that.

Miscellaneous other symptoms/components of the syndrome:   flaky skin behind the ears/in the ears; thicker, waxy skin on upper back/shoulders; cracked skin on pads of fingers (sometimes);   sensitive skin on sides of neck  (it's tough to wear a tie now).  In general, it seems like my skin is more sensitive & prone to irritation.      I have also seen my daughters get a sore on the back of their neck, right about where a necklace would rest.  (They don't wear necklaces.)

IMHO this is a new virus that has not been identified by the medical community yet.      

Good luck to fellow sufferers.

[shoes6]

I drink wine which turns into sugar and sugar promotes candidia yeast in the intestines. I take   NOW Brand Candidia Clear 2-3 times a day depending on how much alcohol or carbs I've consumed. I also take Syntol  (probiotic)
keep your colon lean and the yeast will be in control.
It works

[tdiggs]

10) CHANGE YOUR LAUNDRY DETERGENT

STOP USING HIGH EFFICIENCY (HE) DETERGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goto Whole foods and Grab their PLANET Ultra Powered Laundry Detergent.  It has VERY little, and very natural ingredients in it, with NO FRAGRANCES (AVOID FRAGRANCES LIKE THE PLAGUE).  

11) CHANGE YOUR HANDSOAP

Use barsoap and if possible, Tom's natural handsoap, it has worked for me.

[tdiggs]

HERE IS HOW I GOT MY ECZYMA ON MY EYELIDS AND LIPS UNDER CONTROL!

FOLLOW EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE AND I'M SURE IT WILL HELP!

1) Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic from Trader Joes)

I found this on the website listed below and I believe it has helped.  First you pour two table spoons of the Apple Cider Vinegar in a cup,.  Then add 1/4 of a tablespoon of baking soda (to neutralize the acid VERY IMPORTANT).  Allow the baking soda to stop fizzing and then add two cups of water.  It will gross you out slightly at first but you will get used to it.  Drink it SLOWLY do not chug!  Drink it over roughly 3-5minutes.  Do this TWO times a day.

2) STOP PUTTING CREAMS ON YOUR EYELIDS

Did you ever put any creams or steroids on your eyelids before this problem?  THEN STOP NOW!

3) STOP ITCHING YOUR EYELIDS!!!!!!!!

I cannot stress this enough.  I know it may drive you insane, want to punch your partner/ neighboring coworker, but YOU MUST STOP ITCHING!  Ice packs from walgreens/cvs with a towel wrapped around them will help with the temporarily out of control itching.  If unavailable, goto the sink and rinse cold cold water on them.  Make sure your hands are clean and just splash, do NOT rub!

4) Eyelid Hygeine- Wash with Johnson + Johnson Baby Shampoo

Take a shot glass/small cup and pour a dime sized amount of J&J Baby shampoo into it.  Mix with equal parts water to dilute and stick your CLEAN hands into the cup,  VERY GENTLY rub your eyelids back and forth (horizontally on the eyelashes).  Allow it to sit for 10-20 seconds and then rinse with VERY COLD water.  THIS WILL REDUCE ITCHINESS IMMENSELY!  Very important!

After you have done this, grab two slices of previously refrigerated and washed ORGANIC cucumber and place them on your eyes.  This will MOISTURIZE naturally and avoid any moisturizers with irritants in them.

5) Stop washing your face with cleansers and if you can, do not moisturize.  If you work, take a friday off and if you must shower, use just water to wash your face.  (I believe the natural oils in your body will begin to help moisturize your skin).  Wash your body and hair with Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo.  Moisturize your body with Aveeno if you have no allergies to it, but try to leave your face free of moisturizes, especially your eyes!

6) Get a semi-decent Humidifier, do not spend more than 50$.  Take it everywhere you go if possible and it will help to keep your body moist inside and out.

7)  Hot Compresses on Your Eyelids.

Boil some water on the stove and allow it to cool slightly.  Dip a clean paper towel inside the water and test the heat on your hand.  If it is too hot, wait a few seconds and then test again.  When it is hot, but not too hot to burn, place it on your eyelids and apply VERY slightly pressure.  When the rag cools, dip it in the water, making sure its not too hot to burn, and close one eye.  Watching with your open eye, rub the hot towel along the eyelash area of the closed eye.  Again, VERY LITTLE PRESSURE.  When you are done, reapply the cucumber slices as mentioned above.

8)  PROBIOTICS TO THE RESCUE

Goto Whole Foods (or a health store) and get yourself some high quality probiotics.  I take one pill 30-45 minutes after dinner each night and let it do its magic over night.

9) STOP EATING BREAD + MEAT

I'm no vegan/vegitarian/pesciatrian, but for one week I gave my digestive system a break.  I stopped eating meat (especially beef) and bread (I never realized how much bread we eat on a daily basis) for an entire week.  IT IS NOT THAT HARD AND YOUR BODY WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT.

After 3-5 days you WILL notice a difference and in my case I was nearly 100% in one week.


(http://writen4u.hubpages.com/hub/Ill-have-the-eczema-and-a-side-of-vinegar)

[carm432]

I posted about my skin condition nearly a year ago.  My skin sensitivities have been heightened this past year just because of my exposure to VOCs in my office building a year ago. (Although my reactions are nothing like they were when I was working in the building.)  I went to an acupuncturist/herbalist for 4 months and it didn't seem to help.  I am now working with a CNC (certified nutrition consultant?) and she is saving my life.  These four books have answered all of my questions:  Digestive Wellness by Lipski, Healing Psoriasis by Pagano, I was Poisoned by My Body by Gilbere, and Chemical Sensitivity (a Keats Health Guide).  If you read these books, follow the recommendations and find a good alt-health doctor I guarantee you will not need to search for answers to your skin issues on message boards like these ever again.  My CNC cured herself from fibromyalgia.  As you will read in Digestive Wellness, everything is connected to the gut.  Our inflammatory issues are all likely from something called Leaky Gut Syndrome (even if you have never had a stomach/bowel issue in your life, like me).  This inflammation causes everything from food allergies and migraines to eczema/psoriasis/arthritis, lupus and fibromyalgia.  Our bodies are unable to filter out toxins like other people's so they are literally coming out of our skin. There is also evidence that we are unable to absorb vitamins and minerals like other people so your diet is so important.  There is hope and there are answers to be found in so many books on leaky gut and eczema. MDs will not be able to help you; they only treat the symptoms.  The steroids they give to treat the symptoms make leaky gut worse, which further toxifies your body and prolongs your recovery. All pharmaceuticals, for that matter, are treated as toxins in your body, therefore birth control pills are one of the main causes of LGS...you can read about it in Digestive Wellness.  I never had eczema and inflamed hands and feet until I started taking birth control at 19. I took b.c. until I was 30 (I'm 32 now) so I have a lot of recovering to do.  If you want to get well, you are not alone, and you can do it by detoxifying and taking pure supplements a CNC/alt medicine doc recommends for you.  I wish everyone my best.