Noticed Skin Under Eye Lids Are Red And Puffy. Took Prednisone. What Is The Cure?

Posted on Fri, 22 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 22 Nov 2013 Answered on

Thu, 12 Dec 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My daughter is 17 years old, her right eye below and under eyelids are red and puffy. we tried cortisone and elidel, it doesn't help. she was on prednisone for few days, it helped. But I stopped it since she took 7 days already. After we are off the prednisone, the red and puffy around eye comes again. it only happened on one eye. She doesnot feel pain. the skin under eye (top eyelid and below eyelid) are puffy and red.

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer: It seems like allergic eczema or dermatitis. Detailed Answer: Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic Iam Dr. Dadapeer and I answer health problems related to eye. I went through the photo and symptoms of your daughter, red and puffy eye lids. From the photo I can make out red puffy skin rash involving the skin of the eyelids and the surrounding skin of cheek and fore head on right side. This type of skin rash can be caused by viral fever, contact dermatitis, allergic dermatitis.... Since in history you have mentioned that it is not painful and it responds to steroids, most probably it can be allergic dermatitis or contact dermatitis. The first needs to be done is the source of allergy needs to be identified and removed. The usual source of allergy is cosmetics, so avoid application of cosmetics for sometime. The treatment she is on is right by steroids, but it is usually required for long time. Hence continue steroids for at least 2-3 weeks under supervision of your doctor and taper them before you stop.Preferably steroids should be applied for local application over the skin as this will prevent steroid related complications. If the rash is recurrent or not decreasing the infective causes have to be ruled out and treatment has to be taken after consultation with skin specialist. Hope I have answered your query. Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (9 minutes later)

What kind of steroid medicine do you prefer for local application? We tried cortisone oilment for few days, it doesn't help. She doesn't use any eye makeup. Triamcinolone doesn't cause the rash to go away. Elidel causes her eyelids to redden and feel warm. What can we do if we don't want take steroids pills? thanks

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Betamethasone ointment is preferred for local use Detailed Answer: Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic Thank you for the follow up query. The preferred steroid ointments for local application are betamethasone for application over skin. You have take precaution that the skin ointment should not enter the eye. If the application is required for eyelids then I prefer flurometholone eye ointment. Elidel is Pimecrolimus, a immunomodulator drug usually prescribed by dermatologists for allergic eczema. Redness and warmth of the skin following application of the drug can be because of hypersenitivity to the drug. In this case this needs to be stopped and please do consult your doctor for alternative medicine to this. Hope the information helps. With regards Dr. Dadapeer K

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (9 minutes later)

thanks a lot.

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Thank you Detailed Answer: Thank you for asking to Health care magic. With regards Dr Dadapeer K

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar