Rhinitis

Dear Dr. Jen,

I lately noticed that my eyelids have become itchy.  I'm not sure if it is the haze that caused the itchiness because some of my co-workers have complained about allergies and rhinitis lately too. I don't wear any eye makeup either.  Please help me figure it out.

Nicki

Dear Nicki,

Itchy eyelids can be a manifestation of many things, haze being at the bottom of the list.  Though pollution can trigger skin allergies, the more likely causes are those that come in direct physical contact to your skin.

Since eye makeup has been ruled out, my job here is easier.  Over-cleansing can strip your delicate eye area of protection and make it more susceptible to allergens.  Eye creams as well as moisturizers may also play a part.  Manicure can also be a cause of allergy on the eye area.  Gel manicures or top and base coats can contain allergenic substances (i.e. methyl acrylate).  The chemicals get transferred to your skin by rubbing the eyes.

Patch testing can be done to determine which particular products you are allergic to. This is usually performed by a PDS dermatologist.  If you have other allergies such as asthma, or rhinitis related to your skin rashes, allergy to something from food or airborne might merit investigation.

Dear Dr. Jen,

I am attending an event in two months and have some skin problems I want to deal with.  For one, I have white scars on my legs.  I have been applying scar gels on them and there is no improvement.  My second problem is the discoloration from my pimples.  Is there time to fix this?  What can I do?

Rina

Dear Rina,

For hypopigmented scars, there are few options.  Scar gels often have no role in returning color to white scars, especially if we are talking about very old scars. One of the more successful studies for re-pigmenting is using lasers along with UV light.  Some re-pigmenting creams can also irritate skin causing it to produce melanin. You can ask your PDS derma about which ones are best for your skin type.

It's a good thing that your second problem has more solutions.  Causing a dark scar to lighten can be achieved thru several modalities:  applying bleaching creams containing vitamin C, hydroquinone, kojic acid, tretinoin, glycolic acid, lactic acid, arbutin and niacinamide.  Most of these chemicals act by reducing the amount of melanin on the skin.  Topical creams work well for acne scars, which are usually superficially pigmented.  This may take a few weeks.

Some opt for a slightly faster way by using a combination of laser, peels and creams.  Whichever way you do choose, make sure you first ask about possible side effects, length of treatment time, and use of sunblock.