How to soothe irritated skin around eyes

and oThe skin around your eyes is much thinner than elsewhere on your face and body because it doesn’t contain as much subcutaneous fat or have as many oil glands. This means that the skin around your eyes can be much more sensitive and should therefore be treated gently to avoid irritation. Despite this particular area of skin being thinner, it shouldn’t feel constantly irritated, so if you are suffering from irritated skin around the eyes, the first step is to try and understand why this might be happening before you decide on how to treat it.

What causes red, dry, itchy skin around eyes?

There are a number of causes for skin irritation around the eyes. Whether you are suffering from red, dry or itchy skin around the eyes, one of the following could be the cause:

Aging

Unfortunately, our skin can start to become more sensitive with age. As we age, our skin loses its moisture and becomes drier and we also start to lose more fat around the eye, which as mentioned earlier, is already an area of skin with low levels of fat. It’s not just age itself which causes skin sensitivity though, as prolonged exposure to UV rays also weakens the skin around the eyes. All of this combined can result in much more sensitive skin around the eyes.

Weather

If you find that the skin around your eyes is becoming more irritated during the winter, it could just be that weather conditions are causing your irritation. Skin becomes drier in colder weather, or at times when there is low humidity.

Skin conditions

One of the more common skin conditions to cause irritation around the eyes is, of course, eczema, which can flare up at various times throughout the year. Other conditions such as Blepharitis cause inflammation around the eyelids. If you suspect a skin condition is the cause of your irritation, you should consult a doctor or dermatologist.

Eye dermatitis

The most common form of eye dermatitis is contact dermatitis, which is where your skin is essentially having an allergic reaction to something. Often, the cause of contact dermatitis around the eyes can be makeup, soaps or chlorine. You need to learn what triggers a reaction and avoid those triggers.

Skin care products with chemicals

There are plenty of skincare products out there that use harsh chemicals which can actually have a negative impact on your skin. If you are using products that have ingredients such as alcohol, parabens or retinol, this could well be the cause of your skin irritation around the eyes, so try switching to skincare products that use natural ingredients instead.

What helps irritated skin around eyes?

There are a number of ways in which you can treat irritated skin. The most important thing is to ensure that if your irritation is caused by contact dermatitis, you stop using whatever product it is that is causing the irritation. For other, general irritation, you can try one of the following:

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a known astringent, meaning it causes the contraction of skin cells, which can help to soothe the irritation around your eyes. Mix aloe vera with cold water, soak some cotton wool in the mixture and place it over the area of irritation for 5 minutes.

Cucumber

Cucumber has long been used to soothe eye irritation and leave the area around the eyes feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It can cool and soothe inflamed skin whilst nourishing and healing it. Simply cut two slices of cucumber, soak them in cold water and place them over your eyes. Once they start to warm up, remove the cucumber slices.

Humidifiers

If your eye irritation is caused by eczema or weather conditions, using a humidifier should help to soothe the irritation. A humidifier will help to maintain moisture levels in the air, thus preventing your skin from drying out and reducing irritation.

Cold compress

A cold compress can help to reduce swelling, redness and irritation caused by rashes around the eyes. Simply apply an ice pack to the affected area for five minutes to soothe irritation.

Use skincare products with natural and organic ingredients

If you’ve been using skincare products that contain chemicals, try switching to skincare products that use only natural ingredients and see if that helps to soothe the irritation around your eyes.

At Epara Skincare, products such like our hydrating serum or moisturising face cream are formulated using only natural ingredients that are designed to soothe and strengthen your skin, as well as helping to combat skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation. Our luxury skincare is scientifically proven to reduce dryness, pigmentation and increase hydration and elasticity to the skin.