This question came from an aesthetician friend of mine. As you may already know, the tissue all around the eye area is delicate and highly susceptible to all kinds of issues, especially swelling and inflammation. When it comes to the eyelids, how you treat them is also very important. It’s helpful to remember that sometimes the simplest fix is the best solution; with swollen eyes this is certainly true. Following is my response to this inquiry.
Pure (Yonka’s concentrated toner emulsion) might help. If it were me or my client, I would initially simply use cold compresses to help relieve some of the inflammation. The eyelids are especially sensitive due to the fact they are made up of such thin skin. Once an area is in reaction, anything could be irritating and lead to further reaction—even water.
I actually wouldn’t use tea bags (like in the photo) for this particular problem. Like I said, even water could irritate this already irritated and inflamed area. On any other given day, a particular tea might not irritate this tissue, but once the skin is in reaction, I wouldn’t take any chances—so stay away from cold tea bags—for now. If your client happens to have Yonka’s Creme 11, I’d have her put a thin layer on one eyelid and not the other. Then use cold compresses on both eyes. If she sees a difference with the Creme 11 eye, then apply that to both eyelids—again, applying in a very thin layer. Creme 11, as you know, incorporates arnica, an anti-inflammatory and soothing ingredient.
Although Yonka’s Pure is great for many things, my concern is—with even a super diluted amount of this concentrate (known for its soothing abilities)—it could further the irritation. Then again, Pure might work wonders, but it wouldn’t be my first choice. If your client wants to try diluted Pure, I would suggest she do the one-eyelid-only method. If Pure works, she’ll see it because the untreated eyelid will still be inflamed. If it doesn’t work, only one eyelid will be further irritated or be without change.
Hydrocortisone products come in creams and gels. I like a gel best because it is less like to migrate (spread) too far from the application site. Creams, due to their more emollient nature, can sometimes move around and possibly get in the eye. This, obviously, is not desired. Just to be safe, I’d recommend using a hydrocortisone cream when the eyes will be closed, like just before bedtime.
Again, if it were me, I’d start with Creme 11 (discontinued 2/2018) and see how that goes before using steroids. If the swelling hasn’t gone down significantly within 24 hours, go with hydrocortisone. If nothing seems to work, I would stick with plain old cold compresses and then wait it out.
Although the eye tissue is quick to react, it can be much slower to get back to 100% normal. An allergic reaction to a product usually will resolve itself within 24-48 hours. It is important to remember this tissue could be more sensitive to things that normally don’t cause any problems. An allergic reaction will go away if the skin is given time—without further irritation—to go back to normal (the pre-allergic state).
For more information, see:
- Allergic Reactions to Products & The 72-Hour Test
- Reactions to products: Is it eczema?
- An effective treatment for puffy eyes using Yonka’s Phyto Contour This product is not recommended for an allergic reaction, as written about above. But if your eye area is just puffy in general, this product really helps!
