Eye Skin Rash, Redness, Swelling, inflamation, CURE?

Hi Everyone

I'm actually writing on behalf of my girlfriend. Please read all of this and give me some hope cause I feel like I'm out of answers.

About 2 months ago, my girlfriend started to get these small red skin rashes on the eyelid right at the corner of the eyelids. They were very itchy and would get red. These symptoms occured for about 1 month.

During the second month, she started to blow up with inflamation and swelling in the eye skin area. Each day it would grow even more around her eye and would get hot and uncomfortable. However, the symptoms only occured around the skin of her eyes under the eyebrows and above the cheekbone, in a circular motion. Looks like she has racoon eyes.

At first we tried allergy medication (i.e Claratin, Benedryl). These medications had no effect and her symptoms worsened. The doctor gave her a stronger dosage and different types of allergy medication, but it did not work.

Finally they decided to give her steroids. I'm not really a fan of this at the moment but this is the only thing that is reducing her swelling, inflamation and redness. However, her eye skin has now started to dry out and rip a bit, making it very painful.

We have both searched too and fro all the sites on the interet about this condition and although there are people that have these symptoms, there hasn't been an answer to our question. Some are very discouraging (someone has had this condition for 3 years!). I'm hoping that someone will help us. Please give me some solid suggestions as to what my girlfriend should do cause I'm not really happy with her taking steroids, but its the only resort.

Some notes to know:

1. Before all of this, I noticed a Red patch very small maybe a half a cm wide and a 1.5 cm long on her neck. This patch has never gone away. Its bright red like someone has scratched the area. I dont know if this is something important, but since its something part of the skin, I wanted to know if there is something related here.

2. My girlfriend doesn't eat meat or chicken and rarely eats fish. She's fairly healthy in her diet currently, however, she use to smoke and drink a lot. Wondering if this has any effect on her. Its been 4 years since she had her last drink and cigarette.

3. I did mention that Steroids are the only thing that calm the redness and swelling down, but she said that Ice works as well, but at some point the ice doesn't work and she is still very red and hot even with the ice pack on her eyes!

4. She had blood work done and everything came out normal. Her Thyroid was also checked out normal.

5. She has stopped using any eye products or anything that could contact her eyes. She has continued to use baby oil to help mosturize the eye but its not that helpful. She also had been using vasaline on her eyes to help mosturize the area but the doctor told her to stop using it as that could have been the problem

6. We went to an allergist and he said that its not allergies and that it could be dermatitis.


If I'm writing in the wrong fourm please direct this message to the appropriate area. Thanks to all of you

Hope you are all in good health!