<p>Has anyone had any experience dealing with cosmetic allergies? My D has experienced swelling of the eyelids on a random basis, with maybe half a dozen episodes over the past year, and we think it is related to some cosmetic ingredient. The latest attack occured last night during her performance. She is stumped as to what is causing this unpredictable reaction, and I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with this problem. We've switched eye liners and mascaras, and thought the problem was solved, but last night was an indication that we must keep searching for the answer. Avoiding cosmetics at this point in time is not an option, as the show runs for a few more weeks. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>My Ds (both of them ... the MT one and the ballerina:)) have very sensitive skin and allergies. We finally had them allergy tested, which helped a lot, but the rest (as to what kind of cosmetics they can use) has been trial and error, and the errors are never fun. If this were my D, I would make an appt with an allergist and perhaps a dermatologist and see if I could get to the bottom of it. It's interesting that it happens only intermittently. Oh, another thought: does your daugther wear contact lenses? I just remembered that something similar happened to me as a teen. On random (or seemingly random) days, my eyelids would swell up. Turned out that the lenses I was wearing were irritating my eyes, causing the swelling. This happened when my eyes dried out, because of sunshine, etc. Perhaps the bright lights on stage cause a similar thing to happen to your D. Sorry this is occuring, but good luck. I am sure you can figure it out.</p>
<p>Thanks, NMR. My D does not wear contact lenses, so that's not a problem. She does comment on, (and actually commented on this yesterday) that the air blowing from the car vent dries out her eyes, and she redirected the flow of air from her face. I don't know if she was sensitive to the air because she was already beginning to react to another irritant, or if the air coming out of the vent was an irritant. It's so frustrating! She also had gone into a store earlier that day that she could not stay long in because of the heavily perfumed air in the store. We wonder if that could have caused it. No two incidences seem to have anything in common except for cosmetic use. Hence, the change in eyeliners and mascaras. Yesterday, while waiting to leave for the theatre, she napped briefly after applying her makeup. I am discouraging this practice from now on, with the thought that some of the makeup could be flaking and getting into her eyes, remaining there while her eyes are closed. Talk about grasping at straws! We have a dermatologist that I will be calling on Monday. That's the other thing....these things always seem to happen on a weekend when you can't take her into the office to let the Dr see what's happening!</p>
<p>When I was younger my eyelids would swell when I was running any kind of fever. Is it possible she has a lingering systemic infection? Lorelei</p>
<p>Nope. Perfectly healthy, otherwise. But thanks for your input, lorelei!
By the way, when these symptoms occur, she takes Benadryl which makes her sleepy. Usually, the swelling comes on at night, so that's not a problem. After one particular attack, she was still really puffy in the morning, so she took another dose of benadryl. Needless to say, she was "out of it" that day! Didn't want to risk that again, since she has a performance tonight. I haven't been able to find any other type of treatment that doesn't have drowsiness as a side effect. Suggestions?
This morning, she was just slightly swollen, and I had her put cooled tea bags over her eyes. Anybody know of other soothing remedies for the puffiness?</p>
<p>Cucumber slices will relieve puffiness and are really soothing. Be careful putting things on her eyes, since she could be allergic to products. I cool the cukes in the fridge, and then put slices over my eyes while lying down.</p>
<p>I am allergic to most eye cosmetics, and don't wear much. My eyes start tearing up when I wear them. I did find that I can wear MAC brand eyeshadows, while most drugstore varieties, even those that say Hypoallergenic will cause problems. Good luck! It may be a seasonal allergy (like pollen) that is being exaserbated by the cosmetics.</p>
<p>My D has dealt with similar symptoms. We've found that she has the best luck Clinique products. Benedryl is an antihistamine and there are several on the market that do not cause the typical drowsiness of Benadryl. My D uses Chlortrimaton (sp?). I believe that it comes in a 4hr. and maybe sustained release form as well. Although many models use Preparation H anti-hemoroidal ointment to combat puffy eyes, I would not try it with her sensitive skin. Cucumber slices that have been cooled slightly can be very soothing. Good luck and try washing her pillow case, double rinsing and skipping the drier sheet.</p>
<p>Great suggesstions, anothermom and Sarahsmom. I actually would like to try the cucumber thing, but didn't have any on hand this morning. So, we went with the teabag remedy. She found it soothing, but I'm sure it had to do with the coolness on her eyes. Whether or not the caffeine or tannins have any healing properties that helped, I don't know!
She does use a combination of Clinique and MAC....and I will look at the Chlortrimaton. Couldn't hurt. As for the hemorroid cream, I wouldn't chance it on her eyes. If it were just lack of sleep and bags UNDER the eye, I might be tempted. But I wouldn't want to risk causing more harm than good, since her whole eyelid, upper and lower swells. I shudder to think what might happen if it got into her eyes!
Seasonal allergies playing a part in all of this is certainly a possibility. It could be a combination of several separate irritants that are causing the swelling.
Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>I have been dealing with this problem myself for over 30 years. Do your daughter's eyelids itch as well as swell? This is the trouble I have, and my problem has been diagnosed as eczema. I find that I can use Almay One Coat mascara and Cover Girl Perfect Point Plus eye pencil, but no eye shadow at all, particularly not one that shimmers or has any metallic bits in it. I haven't had good luck with Clinique mascara, though I do use the foundation. In an effort to keep irritating chemicals away from my face and eyes as much as possible, I don't remove my makeup at night (horrors!); also, on the advice of the doctor, I use very little soap. And no nail polish. Could it be that your daughter is scratching her eyes with polished nails? Just trying to think of things that might be causing her eyelids to swell. I've also had trouble with acetate fabric, wool, and metallic threads in clothing. I use only fragrance-free lotions and moisturizers and have recently switched to fragrance-free laundry detergent, which seems to have helped immensely.</p>
<p>I do have a prescription for Desonide, which helps with my rashes, but it's not supposed to be used around the eyes. Unfortunately, at times I do break down and apply it carefully to my eyelids just to relieve the itching for awhile. </p>
<p>Good luck as you try to figure out what's causing your daughter's trouble. I hope you can find a solution quickly!</p>
<p>This thread is making my eyes start to burn and water....ugh. I hope you figure it out soon with her, know it is very frustrating and distracting. </p>
<p>I use liquid eye liner, and then I use the same product for my eye lashes, functioning like mascara. Is she using a pencil eye liner.....those drag and pull on the skin. A dermatologist can help with make-up and skin care products which minimize any irritation. Is she using any kind of sun screen....those can be quite troublesome. She might be using something on her forehead or in her hair, which drips into her eyes if she sweats. Chlortrimaton may have a decongestant in it, too, be careful.</p>
<p>Wow, thank you everyone for your concern! You're all too kind, and I appreciate all your suggestions.
alldressedup, I'm sorry to hear you've been suffering for 30 years! My D doesn't appear to have eczema. She's not had any problems with rashes. The real frustration with this comes from the random timing. The uncertainty of it all has her on edge...."will tonight be the night my eyes swell shut during the show?!"
She performed quite a lot in May and June, always in full make-up. She had an episode late in May, unrelated to performing, and not again until yesterday. Her everyday makeup consists of minimal foundation, powder, blush, pencil-liner, and mascara. Given the amount of makeup worn during productions, she looks forward to make-up free days! I was concerned that her stage makeup was getting old, and possibly had become contaminated. It turns out she was given a fresh supply of products, so that's not the problem. (and she's been using that makeup for 3 weeks now)
She's had a back-to-normal day, looking fine and feeling well. She did take this opportunity to clean all of her makeup brushes, and she's going to wear her sunglasses whenever she leaves the house to help protect her eyes from anything blowing in the wind. Driving with the top down on the car is frowned upon, as well as napping with makeup on! In fact, she's decided to wait and put her makeup on at the theatre, allowing less time for a reaction to affect her performance.
The more I write about all of this, the more I believe this could be related to something in the air, like pollen or mold.<br>
Again, thank you all for your help. Wish us luck as we continue looking for answers!</p>
<p>One more idea, though you may have already thought of this: could your D possible be reacting to an ingredient in your laundry detergent/fabric softener, meaning that she is being exposed to an allergen in her clothing, bedding, etc.? I have to use non scented detergents and softeners, because both of my kids react negatively to the scented kind. In addition, we have had to encase their mattresses, box springs and pillows with dust-mite proof casings, so that they are not exposed to dust mites (an allergen to them) in massive quantities at night. The more you write, the more I think you should strongly consider taking your D to be allergy tested, so you will know exactly what she is reacting to, and then you can take steps to limit that exposure. Good luck. It's amazing how well allergies to airborne things, etc. can be controlled once you know what you are looking at. Plus, if your kid is a singer, then controlling allergies may end up being key to her best voice.</p>
<p>NMR, do you think she could be reacting to household products (or other allergens) only on occasion? Is that possible? I just figured if she only has a reaction every couple of months, it must not be something she's exposed to on a daily basis. This is why I'm beginning to think it may be a seasonal problem.
I will be addressing this with our dermatologist, and if recommended, begin allergy testing. It seems like an impossible thing to accomplish while her show is running, but we shall see! And, you're right, if she has allergies that can be controlled, her singing voice will benefit greatly. I just received a call from her a few minutes ago letting me know that her throat felt a little scratchy, but other than that she felt fine to do the show. The scratchy throat could be allergy related as well. Thanks so much for caring!</p>
<p>The thing with allergies (or so I have been told) is to visualize it this way: each exposure is another drop in the allergic person's "bucket." When the exposures get too numerous and the bucket "fills" to overflowing, then the person reacts. That's why a kid who is allergic to dust mites and pollen and other airborne allergens may only react sometimes -- when the exposures "add up" -- and not other times. That's sure how it is with my own kids! They now take allergy meds each evening, plus nosespray, and the difference is amazing. I am sure that you will find the cause and get this under control. Please let us know how it turns out.</p>
<p>It does sound a lot like allergy, but the randomness is certainly curious. Nothing beats seeing the MD, but unless that turns something up rapidly you might consider some other things to help you track it down and treat symptoms.</p>
<p>see if it is truly random...each time, when symptoms begin, immediately try to identify what's been going on during the preceeding 4-12 hours. (the fact that it often manifests overnight for instance, is curious). Track episodes on the calendar...is there some sort of cycle?</p>
<p>A few other thoughts...it may be a stretch, but is it possible that she is being a bit vigorous in removing the makup? With eyelids being relatively delicate there's always the possibilty that you might actually be getting some trauma. For that matter, new sheets or rough (relatively speaking) fabrics might be an issue (you might even watch for that with your log) if she tends to snuggle up in the bed at night.</p>
<p>Also, have you tried using an eyewash preparation or even some artificial tears? If it is an allergen or something that is getting under the eyelid you might get some relief by flushing the eyes a couple of times, both before bedtime and across the day. The cucs and teabags handle the external swelling but you need something before bedtime as well if that is when the symptoms often begin to appear.</p>
<p>Make an appointment with an optometrist or ophthalmologist to determine the best course of action. In the meantime, there are over the counter medications for eye allergies that should help until she can get a prescription for eye medications which are more effective than the OTC ones. There are eye drops that can relieve symptoms, even as you figure out which make up is best and other strategies to avoid allergens that affect the eyes.</p>
<p>NotMamaRose,</p>
<p>I like your bucket analogy. I have certainly found it to be true in my family. Allergies can be very difficult to pin down because, as you said, a person may not react with each exposure to a particular allergen. She may only react when her "bucket" overflows with too many contacts with substances to which she is allergic. </p>
<p>I can give you a personal example. I lived with a beloved feline family member for over 20 years. After living with her for a number of years, I developed a cat allergy. My symptoms only appeared sporadically. During a cat allergy attack, one or both of my eyes would start itching madly. The conjuctiva would swell, my eyelid(s) would turn bright red, and my eye(s) would be bloodshot. My first line of defense would be to use antihistamine eyedrops. Sometimes that would work, and sometimes not. If the itching did not get better within a couple of minutes, I knew that the only thing that would work would be to thoroughly wash my eyelids with soap and water, then repeat the eyedrops. The funny thing is, that I held and petted the cat every day. My eye itching attacks occured only once every few weeks. I knew that when the itching occurred I had probably been in contact with other allergens or had been experiencing some sort of physical (such as an illness) or emotional stress. </p>
<p>Triplethreat, </p>
<p>I hope that you and your D can figure out what is causing the problem. Though cosmetics seem to be a likely culprit, it could be pollen or mold or even animal dander in combination with the makeup. It could be that the allergens cling more to your D's eyelids when they are made-up than when they are not. Or, as NMR suggested, it could be the cumulative effect of exposure to several things to which your D is mildly allergic. I agree with other posters that a trip to an allergist is in order. There are several non-drowsy antihistamines that can be prescribed, or you might try over-the-counter Claritin or its generic equivalent. I have found over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops to be very helpful with both itching of my eyes and my eyelids. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks everybody! We will be working hard to get this mystery solved before D leaves for school. Stay tuned!</p>
<p>Perfumes are a very common allergic irritant; the sign in our allergists' office reads: "NO PERFUMES TO BE WORN IN THIS OFFICE, PLEASE, will cause allegic reactions in many of our patients". If your d has only sporadic problems with eyes swelling, and she actually had to leave a store earlier in the day, due to very strong perfumed air, that could well be the cause. </p>
<p>When I was a kid I went shopping with my big sister at holiday time for gifts and in the cosmetic dept they were busy spraying the air with various perfumes. Within 20 minutes my sister's eyes were swollen nearly shut and I had to lead her home on the subway. Thank goodness for house calls, remember them?? Doc came and gave her a shot (antihistimine I guess) and voila, fine the next morning!</p>
<p>BiGismama, amen to what you said about perfume. In my 20s and early 30s, I wore perfume daily. Around that time, I suddenly (or so it seemed) developed an aversion to most scented stuff. I would begin to get a headache within moments of being exposed to most perfumes, etc., not to mention my eyes itching and feeling like there was sand in them. I asked the allergist about it, and he said that this kind of thing happens a lot with people with allergies: they may, for instance, have been eating strawberries all their lives and then one day -- wham! -- they react. Apparently, their immune systems reach a certain saturation point and then begin to react, which is what (as I understand it) allergies are: our own immune systems reacting against what the systems perceive as an invader/foreign body. This sensitivity to perfume causes me a bit of difficulty in the office environment where I work, because some people really wear a lot of scent! I think, in our modern lives, our bodies are constantly exposed to substances, and some of them cause us to react with allergies.</p>