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What are dry eyelids?
According to Dr. Libby, dry eyelids refer to, “irritated, flaky skin around the eyes, which occur from the skin’s normal barrier being disrupted.” The dry skin then leads to a loss of hydration and moisture in the skin and inflammation follows.
Like all dry skin, most cases are easily detected when there is a change of texture and/or appearance. “You will know if you have dry skin on the eyelids if you have dryness, redness, itching, flaking or swelling,” Dr. Libby says. And, since the skin around the eyes is thin and often sensitive, these conditions may be more irritating on your lids than it would be on other parts of your body.
Hadley King, MD, a dermatologist in NYC, says another way to identify if you’re dealing with dry eyelids is to see how the skin reacts with a moisturizer. If there is inflammation and the flaking doesn’t resolve with moisturizing, then it is likely dry skin and can include conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis or eczema.
What causes dry eyelids?
Unfortunately, there are numerous causes of dry eyelids. These reasons can include, but aren’t limited to, genetic skin conditions, stress, and overall health. But when it comes to the most common concerns, both Dr. Libby and Dr. King agree that dry eyelids often come with seasonal changes like cold temps and dry weather. “During the fall and winter months, the weather can cause skin to be stripped of its oils which impairs the skin’s natural moisture barrier and leads to dry, itchy skin on the body.” It’s similar to how your lips are hydrated and smooth in the heat of summer, but then transform into chapped and cracked lips come winter time.
Another cause is allergens and irritants which are typical triggers for eczema or inflamed skin. “Common culprits may be makeup, perfume droplets, pollen or even nail polish,” Dr. Libby mentions. This is why skin experts recommend testing new products on a small area of skin before slathering it all over your face. This will help you understand if your skin has any negative reactions to specific ingredients.
1. Have an AHA! moment
With Alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) you can have a literal AHA moment. This group of animal-derived or plant-derived acids help exfoliate your skin. And as you may know, when dead skin cells are broken down it allows for new skin to be revealed. Encouraging this skin cell regeneration helps bring out the best and brightens your complexion. It also helps shed the dry and flaky skin around your eyes in a safe and gentle way. This, of course, smooths out the area as well.
Viviane Woodards Hyaluronic Cellular Recovery AHA Serum stimulates cell renewal in just this way and improves the overall texture of your skin. It also contains hyaluronic acid, which plumps up the skin by binding moisture to it. By optimizing hydration, those fine lines and wrinkles start to fade to the background so your natural beauty can take front and center. Simply use this serum after cleansing and toning your skin. As you apply, give a little extra love to the area around your eyes, and mouth. Then moisturize as you usually do. After a few weeks of doing this, your face will feel more firm and you’ll take another look in the mirror and say aha!
2. Get more sleep
Hitting the hay is one surefire way to improve the appearance around your eye area. Sleep can help with circulation and your body’s ability to repair itself. The skin around the eyes is thinner than other areas of the face, which makes it more vulnerable to dark circles, dryness, and irritation. Getting a bit more sleep may reduce some of these unwanted issues, and make you look more alert and refreshed as well.
When it’s time to wake up, we often regret our choice to continue scrolling, or watch just one more episode, or whatever it was we felt compelled to do at such an ungodly hour the night before. If this sounds familiar, and sleeping is something you really want to do more of, there are ways you can shift that bedtime a bit. Move your last meal time a tad earlier, turn off devices an hour before you drift off, read a book or magazine made of actual paper again. If you’re looking for other ideas, check out this previous post and read tip #25 which is all about your beauty sleep.