Saturday, August 18, 2012

My Cure For Chapped Eyelids

I know that sounds like a stupid title for a blog post, but, a few months ago, I had some weird issues with what was probably Blepharitis.  I didn't know that then.  All I knew was that I had chapped eyelids that wouldn't go away, and it was rather freaky.
I also didn't realize at the time that other people had this condition -- and would end up on my blog trying to find a cure after searching for "chapped eyelids" on the internet.  It's now at least once a week that some poor soul ends up on my blog while searching for that.  Thus, I put up a title for those people.  If you're one of them, do read on, and I'll tell you my secrets.
Vinegar and Vaseline.  Seriously.
I learned online that the most common cause of Blepharitis (which sounds so made-up, doesn't it?) are those pesky little eyelash mites that everyone warns you about with sharing mascara.  Well, I hadn't been sharing mascara, so I have no clue how I got bacteria-spreading eyelash mites, but I figured that white vinegar is as natural an anti-bacterial cure as you can get, so I used it.  Each night and each morning, I'd dab a cotton swab in white vinegar and carefully rub it over the red, swollen, itchy parts of my eyelids.  I'd leave it there for a few minutes and then wash it off with plain water.  This would sting for a few seconds, but then it would relieve the itching for hours afterwards.  At night, after the vinegar was washed off, I'd coat my eyelids in Vaseline, which helped the irritated skin and also helped to smother the mites.  (I learned this by reading medical websites such as the one linked above.  The vinegar was totally my own idea, however.)
Three weeks of this treatment, and I was completely cured of chapped eyelids.  Thank heaven!

So there you go.  My cure for chapped eyelids = vinegar and Vaseline.  Pretty simple.

We now go back to our regularly scheduled blogging.  :)

UPDATE 1/7/15: In December of 2014, I had another unexplained eyelid event.  This time, the eyelids did not chap, but they were incredibly, annoyingly itchy!
I thought it would not hurt to try my "old cure" again, so I went back to the exact method I have described above for one week.  Cured!  Again!
This post has become very popular, and I have noticed that people have been googling for my vinegar and vaseline cure by name now.  Well, we all want our 15 minutes of fame, I suppose, but I never thought mine would come from chapped eyelids. :D

P.S.  Folks, please do be careful not to get the vinegar in your eyes.  It does sting.
Also, I wear contact lenses, and, although putting the vinegar on while wearing the lenses was never a problem, I do NOT recommend putting vaseline on the eyelids while you are still wearing the lenses.  Only put the gooey stuff on once the lenses are safely out and cleaned.

28 comments:

  1. I"m one of those "poor souls" who found your post because I was searching for "chapped eyelids" LOL and yep I have bleharitis. I'm going to try the vinegar instead of my antibacterial soap and see how it goes! THanks

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    1. You're not alone, Liz. This is now my single most-popular post. In the winter it sometimes gets 30-40 hits per day.
      I hope the vinegar and vaseline method works for you. I've never had a return of this condition, so I figured it worked really well for me.

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  2. I'm desperate! I have always attributed my chapped eyelids to my eczema but maybe mites are the problem. I'll let you know if it works for me. THANK YOU!

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  3. Hi im Terry and i also looked up chapped eyes because my eyes started out of no where being watery and ichy. I went to the eye doctor she said she could not find anything wrong. So i guess i will try what helped you hohope it works

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  4. Just put the vinegar on. Stung like a ***** for a minute, but now it feels great. Waiting for a few minutes before the Vaseline. Thanks!

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    1. Yes, that sums up how it felt to me, too. :) Hope it works.

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    2. no less swollen today, maybe even more swollen. itching, however, is pretty much gone.

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  5. I read your blog last Saturday. I was willing to give anything a try. Mi am so happy to let you know, it worked great. Thank you and I'm glad I found your blog. Susie

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  6. I tried the vinegar and vaseline. It worked! The vinegar did burn when I applied it very carefully with a q-tip but I felt it was doing the job so I hung in there. It took about 5 days before I could really see it getting better.

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    1. I understand. It took about 3 weeks before mine healed up. Glad it worked for you!

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  7. Hello. I have chapped eyelids due to a severe cold. Can I use this same method

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  8. How much Vaseline do you put on your eyes at night?

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  9. How much Vaseline do you apply to eye lid?

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    1. I put enough to coat it well, right down over the base of the eyelashes so it can smother any mites as well as soothe the irritated skin.

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  10. Aloha Lisa. thank you for posting this cure. I've been trying to figure out what is going on with my eyelids and today the redness started spreading down below my eyes too! I've been using aloe for the itching which has been very effective and doesn't sting, and now I'll try the vaseline smothering technique. I don't wear any makeup, but there's a lot of bugs in Hawaii so it doesn't surprise me that it's a mite. I'll let you know if it works for me.

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  11. Hi again, Lisa. I found this article when I googled Are eyelash mites contagious? http://www.healcure.org/eye/eyelashes/eyelash-mites-symptoms-treatment-demodex-facial-mites-eyelashes/

    Tea tree oil looks like a cure as well.

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    1. I'm skeptical of tea tree oil, but, by all means, try it if you think it will help.
      I THINK eyelash mites can spread person-to-person because there are always warnings about sharing make up. However, I am not a doctor, nurse, or even into healing oils. I am an English teacher who writes novels on the side. (See my bio on this blog.)
      I wrote this post after struggling to find a cure for my own chapped eyelids. I do not claim it's the best cure; I only know it worked for me.
      I am no expert on this. (Now, if you want to ask me questions about grammar, there I'm quite expert!)

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  12. My eyelids are more so inflamed Carmex has been helping anyone else inflamed?

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  13. I got the same problem but i am afraid to try vinegar. What if it goes inside my eye? Does it have any side effect?

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  14. My eyelids are chapped at the moment but I am doubtful that it could be Blepharitis because I don't have eyelashes! (I have trichotillomania). Also because of my lack of eyelashes, I'm scared on using vinegar on my eyes.

    Any others with trich that have tried this method?

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  15. It works...I had an eye infection and as a result my right eyelid was raw, chapped and itched.I am so grateful I found your blog. It did sting for a few seconds, itching is gone and have applied Vaseline. Thank you

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  16. Same problem. Thanks for the tip will try it out

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  17. I'm another lost soul with eyelid problems. Vinegar and Vaseline it is! Somedays my eyes feel swollen and I've never linked the two, but I've noticed that swollen goes hand in hand with the creases that are dry and crack and bleed. Hoping for success. Thank you!

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  18. Another convert. Was diagnosed by GP with seborrhoeic dermatitis who advised i used an antifungal cream on my sore, chapped and itchy eyelids. This just inflamed them even more. Searching the internet in the vain hope of finding something that would work I came across this blog and thought 'what the hell, it can't hurt'. Wow. Yes the vinegar stings but not for long - I have been applying vinegar, water then vaseline before bed. Within a week they have completely healed. Thanks so much!

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