5 Best Home Remedies for Dry Eyelids
If you’re suffering from dry eyelids, you know how frustrating it can be. The crustiness and flakes never seem to go away, and the more you mess with your eyelids the more irritated they become.
We know you came here to learn how you can finally get rid of your dry, flaky eyelids, so let’s get right to it! Here are some of our top tips.
5 Ways to Reduce Dry Eyelids
While there are many things you can do to reduce your symptoms, we’re going to focus on a few that can make a big impact.
First of all, if you know you have an allergy, avoidance of the allergen is key. The same goes for cosmetics or other products that may be causing the issue.
We’ll cover both of these a bit later in the article. Once you’ve got those under control, try some of the following:
1. Hypochlorous Acid
Hypochlorous acid is a natural antiseptic that your body makes, meaning it’s safe to use on the skin of your delicate eyelids. This product is extremely gentle, and it’s recommended to use it twice per day.
Simply spray the solution onto a cotton ball or round and gently wipe over your eyelashes, concentrating at the base, along your eyelid margins. There’s no need to wash this formula off, so just let it dry. We believe this should be one of your first steps in treating any eyelid inflammation.
2. MediViz Tea Tree Eyelid Wipes
If you’re not into sprays, or you know you suffer from demodex eyelash mites, you may want to try a tea tree oil eyelid wipe. Tea tree has been shown to be effective against demodex in some studies.
Simply remove the pre-moistened wipe from its package, wipe it gently across your eyelids (concentrating at the base of the eyelids) and let it dry. These wipes can also function as an effective eye makeup remover, depending on how much makeup you wear. It’s recommended to use these wipes one to two times per day.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Diet
If you’re filling your body with junk and processed foods all day, you’re going to feed any inflammation going on in your body. You truly do become what you eat. By adopting more of a plant-based, alkaline diet (think green foods!), you’re packing your body full of antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
The easiest first step is to replace your breakfast with a green smoothie. The majority of people are eating unhealthy breakfast foods, and this is contributing to your inflammation. Here’s a simple green smoothie recipe anyone can make. Add all of these ingredients to a blender, blend, and enjoy:
- 1 cup water or unsweetened almond milk
- 1 handful of spinach
- ½ avocado
- 1 cup frozen berries
- 1 tsp cinnamon
*Plant based protein powder can be added for flavor and extra protein
4. Hydration
Arguably, treatment for all diseases should begin by drinking plenty of filtered water daily. We recommend carrying around a reusable water bottle (avoid disposable plastic water bottles, which are polluting the planet!)
At least 75% of us are dehydrated on a daily basis. So if you’re wondering how much to drink, take your body weight in pounds and divide it by two. This equals the ounces of water you should be drinking daily to stay hydrated. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that’s 75 ounces. Of course, if you have questions about your water intake or if you suffer from kidney disease, please discuss this with your doctor beforehand.
5. Eye Cream
Lastly, you may be wondering about actually moisturizing your eyelids! Once you’ve made the above changes, it’s recommended to add an eyelid moisturizer into your routine. We highly recommend using organic, natural products for this as much as possible, since the skin of your eyelids is the most delicate in your entire body. The moisturizer we recommend is made of all natural ingredients, and it’s free of specific preservatives that may be harmful for the glands within your eyelids. Use this moisturizer twice daily for best results.
What are Dry Eyelids?
Having dry eyelids may mean that you have one of a few conditions, including blepharitis, dermatitis, or an allergy. Symptoms you may experience include:
- Dryness of the skin
- Redness
- Swelling of the eyelids
- Flakiness or crusting
- Pain or a burning sensation
- Itching
- Thickening of the eyelid skin
What Causes Dry Eyelids?
Determining what is causing your dry eyelids is the most important step in treating them. Once you know what the contributing factors may be, you can then work with your doctor to make a plan for treatment. The following may contribute to dry eyelids, and these should be explored.
Cold or Dry Climate
Do you live somewhere with low humidity? Is it freezing outside, or is the temperature fluctuating? Cold, dry climates are often the worst culprits for dryness of the skin, but you should also be wary if you live in a dry, warm climate. Low humidity can cause the skin to lose moisture very quickly, so it’s crucial to ensure that you’re keeping your eyelids moisturized.
Cosmetics and Lotions
Another thing to look into are the body care products you use on a daily basis. This can be anything from shampoos and body wash to facial serum and the laundry detergent you use. Many of these products contain chemicals that may not react well with sensitive skin, especially that of the eyelids. This can create an allergic reaction.
Hot Water
Just like a dry climate can pull moisture away from your skin, hot water can do the same. Try turning down the heat in your next shower or the next time you wash your face, and you may see your eyelids becoming more moisturized as a result.
Demodex Eyelash Mites
No one likes to hear about the bacteria and bugs that naturally live on our bodies, but they’re usually not a problem. However, when they become overpopulated, they can be tough to manage. Demodex are tiny mites that live adjacent to hair follicles, like the follicles of your eyelashes. They love the oils they can find there, and your skin may be reacting to these little bugs, leading to eyelid inflammation and dry eyelids.
Dermatitis
If any of the above do not make sense for you, it may be another skin condition you’re dealing with. If you’re unsure, it’s best to visit your eye doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
We hope you’ve learned a ton from this article and that you now feel equipped to handle your dry eyelids at home. If you have any questions, make sure to discuss them with your eye care provider.
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The Eye Believe Foundation is an affiliate for some or all of the products on this page. When you click the link and purchase on Amazon, you help support our ministry in helping end preventable blindness.
It is the mission, duty and purpose of the Eye Believe Foundation to address, educate, coordinate, and provide aid and relief to those who have no access to proper eye care on a local and global level.
We believe that everyone deserves great vision. But over ONE BILLION people are functionally blind due to lack of glasses.
As optometrists, we see it as our duty to be available, when we are capable, to provide one of the most important yet basic human rights to ordinary people by giving them the vision they thought they had lost. This enables them to not only see the faces of their loved ones again, but also provide for themselves and their families through careers they may have lost to poor vision.
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