Possible new Warm Compress technique

[Vivid Panda]

Hey there guys,

I went to my doctor here in Colombia where she does her own version of MGD probing and before the procedure she puts this eye lid heating mask on. Apparently its FDA approved, effective, and the heat is 'perfect' for however long you want to use it. It's a little costly but has warranty and everything. Seemed fairly effective when I tried it. Also, apparently dry heat is just as effective as wet heat? Thoughts?

http://www.heatedeyepad.com/

[MGD1701]

Thanks for sharing. I believe it is effective/safe as it provides constant heat.
Any idea about the temperature? seems 40C?

Do you feel oil secretion during the process? If so, would it run over your face & messy?

I read somewhere and my doctor also says wet heat is important.
It removes dirts, bacteria etc more effectively, based on my experience.
I use Blephasteam/42C and many research/studies show it is effective/safe - constant heat and the steam.
My oil is still a bit thick so I need higher heat.

[Vivid Panda]

Thanks for sharing. I believe it is effective/safe as it provides constant heat.
Any idea about the temperature? seems 40C?

Do you feel oil secretion during the process? If so, would it run over your face & messy?

I read somewhere and my doctor also says wet heat is important.
It removes dirts, bacteria etc more effectively, based on my experience.
I use Blephasteam/42.5C and many research/studies show it is effective/safe - constant heat and the steam.
My oil is still a bit thick so I need higher heat.

I have never used blephasteam so I can't really compare unfortunately. In regards to its effectiveness, it's pretty moderate. Obviously depending on the glands, some need manipulation and so for me, I did not secrete anything from my glands. They simply opened and relaxed that area before my doctor did some light needling. The way you talk about wet heat kind of seems like something you can do by a simple eye lid scrub before or after applying heat. I'm kind of more curious about its effects on warming the oil glands more, and creating more liquidly than gland blocking oils.

Are you happy with the blephasteam however? Worth the investment?

[MGD1701]

Blephasteam/42C: Yes, indeed worth the investment.
There are 2 (cotton) rings - made them wet with mineral water when apply Blephasteam
- this creats moisture/humidity. Many doctors highly recommand it.

What helped my thick oil flows is: the facial steamer (about 44C).
Now when I use Blephasteam, in about 2 min. I can always feel oil secretion toward the end
(so it is a great tool for me to make sure oil is flowing).
Before facial steamer, I hardly felt oil secretion - when there was oil feeling - max. 2 min. which is useless.

You wrote - ''warming the oil glands more, and creating more liquidly than gland blocking oils''
I agree and some doctor say so too. In this regard the heated pad would be a better tool than Blephasteam.
Because twice a day with Blephasteam is enough.

Probing
I asked my dr if probing/BlephEx would help me. he said yes.
But the one who performs them said NO need (I think he meant: all my glands are OPEN after LipiFlow)
Do you know WHY your dr recommends it? I am told if one has scar tissue, probing helps.

[Vivid Panda]

Blephasteam: Yes, indeed worth the investment.
There are 2 (cotton) rings - made them wet when apply Blephasteam which creats steam.
Many doctors highly recommand it. I have tried microwaved Bruders mask etc.

What helped my thick oil flows is: the facial steamer (about 44C).
Now when I use Blephasteam, in about 2 min. I can always feel oil secretion toward the end
(so it is a great tool for me to make sure oil is flowing).
Before facial steamer, I hardly felt oil secretion - when there was oil feeling - max. 2 min. which is useless.

You wrote - ''warming the oil glands more, and creating more liquidly than gland blocking oils''
I agree and some doctor say so too. In this regard the heated pad would be a better tool than Blephasteam.
Because twice a day with Blephasteam is enough.

Probing
I asked my dr if probing/BlephEx would help me. he said yes.
But the one who performs them said NO need (I think he meant: all my glands are OPEN after LipiFlow)
Do you know WHY your dr recommends it? I am told if one has scar tissue, probing helps.

Very interesting. Would you mind linking me to where I can buy the facial steamer,blephasteam thing?

And I'm currently in Colombia and they do things a little differently here. She put that heat pad on my face, then applied some anesthetic gel to my eyelids and then went in with a very thin needle style thing to pop open the clogged glands. I felt better instantly but am not sure how effective it is long term. It's fairly cheap here (about $25) for the treatment so I'll probably do it again in a few weeks. I think it is highly effective if one has scar tissue, and honestly as long as it is done right by a well trained professional, i don't think the treatment cant have more negatives than benefits.

[Hokucat]

Hi Vivid Panda. Am so glad you found someone competent to do probing in Columbia, and that you felt better instantly! FYI, my probe doctor said since this is a more invasive procedure and still fairly new, at the most every 6 months do probing. Just wanted to pass that info on to you. I've heard some people do IPL after probing for maintenance.

Ideally now that your glands are open for the moment, would be good to find a way to change your oils from thick to flowing, so glands don't get blocked again. I posted on an earlier thread you started a few months ago that after 5 probe procedures, finally after drinking fresh lemon juice in green tea 2x daily changed my oils to flowing so I no longer get blockage. I haven't needed probing (or any other procedure) since the last one in late 2015. So if you can find what your body needs, whether that be the lemon/green tea, basil (per another poster), etc., that could solve your root problem.

But you are definitely on the right path finding probing works for you. One step at a time, you'll get there!

[MGD1701]

scar tissue:
How do you know if you have this problem? Did dr show you gland pictures?
None of doctors ever mentioned it to me. No idea if they ever checked.

If you do warm compress (massage, lid scrubs) daily (or regularly) to keep oil flowing then your glands will NOT clogged
Your dr did not tell this to you?

After probing, dont think you need a facial steamer. It is only useful for thick oil.
I heard some people need to do 5-8 times and it helps. That is why I wanted to do too.

Blephasteam/Thea Pharma (French company):
Seems only available in Europe. maybe try on-line shops.

[Hokucat]

Like MGD1701 advises, after probing it's still important to keep up your daily regimen of warm compress, lid scrubs, etc. I'm sure it helps keep oils flowing, more so than not doing the daily routines at all. However, in my case, even though I did that after each probing, my glands still got blocked again soon after each of the first four probe procedures, until I started the lemon/tea after the 5th and final probing.

[epicjinx]

Has anyone bought this and got full relief from mgd? I'm curious...

[Vivid Panda]

Thank you very much for your advice Hokucat. I notice you tend to be up on the topics I post so I will most definitely be trying your lemon/tea idea.

scar tissue:
How do you know if you have this problem? Did dr show you gland pictures?
None of doctors ever mentioned it to me. No idea if they ever checked.

If you do warm compress (massage, lid scrubs) daily (or regularly) to keep oil flowing then your glands will NOT clogged
Your dr did not tell this to you?

After probing, dont think you need a facial steamer. It is only useful for thick oil.
I heard some people need to do 5-8 times and it helps. That is why I wanted to do too.

Blephasteam/Thea Pharma (French company):
Seems only available in Europe. maybe try on-line shops.

My doctor used a micro high def camera in order to look at the inside of my eyelids and the machine also took pictures so she was able to directly show me where the issues were lying.

Warm compresses surely help with keeping the oils from becoming too thick but I believe they will always go back to being clogging prone. Otherwise it would be as simple as doing warm compresses to completely prevent mgd which I dont think is possible. Once we got it, itll always be clogged. Thankfully more literature is coming out and with the increase in MGD in patients, more solutions and hopefully a cure will also come out.

I'm still curious about the different between dry heat and wet heat however. So much contradictory information out there. Hard to know whats what.

[Yago2017]

Thank you very much for your advice Hokucat. I notice you tend to be up on the topics I post so I will most definitely be trying your lemon/tea idea.






My doctor used a micro high def camera in order to look at the inside of my eyelids and the machine also took pictures so she was able to directly show me where the issues were lying.

Warm compresses surely help with keeping the oils from becoming too thick but I believe they will always go back to being clogging prone. Otherwise it would be as simple as doing warm compresses to completely prevent mgd which I dont think is possible. Once we got it, itll always be clogged. Thankfully more literature is coming out and with the increase in MGD in patients, more solutions and hopefully a cure will also come out.

I'm still curious about the different between dry heat and wet heat however. So much contradictory information out there. Hard to know whats what.

Thank you Vivid Panda for sharing your experience, could you give me the contact details of the doctor who is doing your treatment?
Many thanks