EYELID DERMATITIS
Because the delicate skin of the eyelids is only about one quarter as thick as the skin elsewhere, it is unusually sensitive to irritants. Accordingly, it is not uncommon for the eyelids to become itchy, red, and swollen in response to an ingredient of a cosmetic that has been applied to some other part of the body. This can occur even when the primary site to which the offending substance has been applied remains entirely normal.
Thus, eyelid dermatitis is not uncommon in response to nail polish or nail varnish, face creams, makeup, hair dye, hair spray, etc. The reaction can be either an allergic one or an irritant response to traces of a substance carried to the eyelids by the fingers, the journal Cutis (34#216) reports. Without realizing it, most of us touch our eyelids many times a day, even if they are not causing the slightest discomfort. Determining the cause can be difficult since the skin on the part of the body used for testing may not be sufficiently sensitive. To enhance its sensitivity, “closed” testing is employed in which the potential allergen or irritant is applied to the skin under a plastic cover. This seems to be an effective way to determine what is causing the eyelid dermatitis.
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