Staying Fit
Oh, great…
You flip on the bathroom light, look at your reflection in the mirror and come face-to-face with a pair of swollen eyelids. Unless you've gotten in the ring with pro fighter Conor McGregor or just finished a tearjerker marathon, you've probably got an ocular issue.
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What's prompting the puffiness? It depends. Possible reasons can range from pollen to pink eye to — believe it or not — your last mani-pedi. Here are a few common causes.
Contact dermatitis
It doesn't take much to upset the thin, delicate and, frankly, cranky skin around our eyes. “Contact dermatitis typically occurs when someone comes in contact with something that they have a sensitivity to,” says Michelle Andreoli, M.D., a Wheaton, Illinois–based ophthalmologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “It could be poison ivy, the metal in the nose pad of your glasses or the material eyelash extensions are made from. Your lid will become sore, irritated, red and swollen.”
"The first step is to avoid the allergens or irritants that are causing symptoms,” advises Sumayya Ahmad, M.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. And there's a conga line of possible culprits, including certain cosmetics, soaps, sunscreens, perfumes, eye drops and contact lens solutions. Even airborne substances can activate an allergic response.
"The fumes from nail polish in salons is a common thing my colleagues have been encountering as a cause of swelling,” says John Ng, M.D., professor of ophthalmology and an orbital trauma specialist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. Certain medications can also be triggers. “Using ocular medications that contain preservatives, such as glaucoma drops or some eye drops, frequently can lead to swelling and inflammation,” he adds.
Ask your doc about less irritating alternatives. If you're reacting to something that is physically irritating the surface of the eyelids, say, mascara, switch to hypoallergenic products. And consider wearing protective eyewear when venturing outside (extreme temps and wind can worsen the condition).
Keep the eye area clean and hydrated. Shower with a mild, fragrance-free cleanser before bed and as soon as you get up, to get allergens off your face and lashes. “Cool compresses can help by constricting the blood vessels to reduce swelling,” Ahmad explains. Treatments may include a moisturizing cream, available with or without an Rx, to soothe the skin, and a mild steroid-based cream, used short term, to ease inflammation.
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