Salicylic Acid and Dry Eye

[lady_asphodel]

Hi everyone,

I have MGD after getting LASIK. I'm 27, and I'm also dealing with adult acne. My skin responds really well to salicylic acid products, but my eyes always get much worse whenever I'm using them. They feel dry as bone and my vision gets more blurry and I have abberrations. I take care to avoid that eye area, but beyond that I'm not sure what else I can do. Any advice? Maybe I should try wearing goggles when washing?

I always wash my hands before I do my separate eye washing and massage for MGD. I really don't understand why it seems to be affecting my eyes so much. My eye doctor is the one who recommended a salicylic acid face wash because he saw my skin condition wasn't good either. I use Occusoft Lid cleaner around my eyes and Neutrogena Naturals salicylic acid face wash for the rest. I also tried Neutrogena 3-in-1 hydrating acne treatment instead of a face wash; it made my dry eye worse, too.

Best,
Amanda

[MartyM1985]

Hmm... that's tough.

Are you using any other topical meds, oral meds, or face wash for the acne? I also have acne at 31, and I wash my face twice a day with salicylicacid products. I don't think it affects me negatively though regarding the eyes (I'm tear deficient), but everyone is different.

My only advice would be to keep it far away from your eyes, but that's kinda obvious...

[SDgirl2]

Hi lady_a,

I also have MGD post lasik and adult acne. My specialist recommended cleaning my eyes with Cliradex eyelid wipes. This has tea tree oil which is good for treating bleph. Tea tree oil is also good for treating acne, got this info from my esthetician pre lasik days. If you can't find Cliradex wipes in your area ( I think you have to buy it at a doc's office), Trader Joes sells a tea tree oil gentle face wash and so does the Body Shop. Gosh, I hope it is okey to recommend stores. May I ask, what has your MD recommended to treat your MGD?


take care.

[spmcc]

I think oral doxycycline would be the #1 prescription. It works on the skin (quite quickly) and the MGs (less quickly).

[No tears in ATL]

I know this irritation you speak of. I have a salicylic acid scrub and when I rinse it off I think the residue gets into my eyes. For whatever reason, products containing benzoyl peroxide (like Proactive) didn't seem to have that effect. I've quit it with the store bought scrubs altogether and have switched to (believe it or not) using corn meal from the kitchen cabinet mixed with a little bit of jojoba or olive oil. Exfoliation with no acid!

[littlemermaid]

Medscape Recent therapeutic developments for acne is very useful. Medscape is just getting better and better.

Also, we are finding topicals harsh without building a good skin barrier with moisturising. I like James Del Rosso very much on this ~

http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/719065
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32xXu9w80pc

Although we have all the topical meds for p&p rosacea (can't use oral), we rotate at least 3 facewashes and moisturisers to avoid developing hypersensitivity. Ingredients we do well on include: tea tree oil for demodex control, honey for antibac and antifungal, beeswax for supporting dermal matrix, oatmeal for calming.

Important to consider what ingredients like preservatives are making things worse. We have many generic parafin based washes and moisturisers from derms which did well short-term but haven't supported the skin long-term because of sensitivity. We've done better on organic rather than mineral bases as we got more confident with this.

In flareup, we blitz with the topical antibacterials Spmcc is all too familiar with, and have to use steroid on the eyes (not skin).

We don't want to develop 'rosacea' sensitivities through long term use of acne products in maintenance. It's a question of keeping vigilant and observing what makes things better or worse.

OTC skin products and prescription topicals can trigger dry eye and dermatitis is in some people, eg for info, here's what we are dealing with http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168247/ He is using ceramide-base 'primers' for the skin barrier. Different pathogenesis to acne, but similar on skin sensitivity for people with skin/eye problems.

Anything we use on the skin affects the eyes directly either through absorption or creep so we are controlling the eyes by maintaining the skin well.

I've found dermatologists can't do this for us because their arsenal is small and restricted to a few prescription meds. Everyone's different on their sensitivities but there's plenty useful on Medscape on acne treatments that can make things worse for the eyes for some people http://search.medscape.com/reference...queryText=acne

The most important for us to protect the eyes has been bug control on the skin. Otherwise there's transfer to the eyes, eg clean towel, flannel, pillowcase every day. Also, being vigilant and ready for triggers eg premenstrual, diet.

All we've currently got to try to change the fatty acid profile is good diet and well-balanced gut, although if we could we would use oral antibiotics again or maybe try hormones.

[lady_asphodel]

Marty, I don't use anything else medicated, but I was put on minocycline a few weeks ago for meibomitis. I've been told that that may help. My acne is very mild (mostly very oily skin and clogged pores/noninflamed acne).

I've tried everything, even doing my eye routine before I wash my face so that my hands won't be massaging anytime near when I last used salicylic acid to apply product. Though that does help, it still doesn't eliminate the problem.

Maybe I can try a toner or something that I can just apply and leave on with a cotton ball (no hand contact to be spread around at all). Hand washing definitely doesn't remove all the salicylic acid if you've touched it.

[lady_asphodel]

Thanks SDgirl2. Oddly enough, I noticed that my meibomitis symptoms started after using 5-10% tea tree oil to water solution on my face for several months. Of course I can't say for sure that it was the tea tree oil, but I have read that you should keep it well away from mucous membranes, and I always noticed my eyes welling up just from applying it to my face.

[lady_asphodel]

But then would I have to be on antibiotics indefinitely? I sure hope not. I don't think that's healthy.

[lady_asphodel]

No tears, I've read that manual exfoliation is so irritating and bad for the skin; maybe I should chuck that belief and give corn meal a try. Do you feel greasy afterwards? My skin is so oily, I am hesitate to put oil on it. I've tried using natural oil based moisturizers for oily skin (such as Desert Essence). Stuff broke me out like crazy.

[FlowerMountain]

I was using a salicylic acid face wash with menthol and fragrance and it irritated my eyes. Use only fragrance free, minimal ingredient products on your face. I would check for irritating non-active ingredients in the face product you're using.

[karensumner]

Hi there.. i used to take Doxy-it helped awhile w/ my rosacea and adult acne.. did nothing for my eyes--mgd got not better and actually has been better since i am off of it.odd.. anyway, i stopped doxy due to many yeast infections.

anyway, my dermatologist wanted me to take retin a. well i did years back but then was scared it would clog my glands even further in the eyes.. also, my skin is super dry due to sjogrens.. so i have been on a regimine of Finacea gel--it takes about 4 weeks to kick in but has controlled my rosacea and breakouts only happen here and there and usually around my cycle (and are not that bad at all!).. it is made from wheat though so as long as youdont have issues w/ wheat you can try it.. it is $$$$ even w/ insurance -i am on medicare so everything costs more. if yu have better ins. it prob wouldnt be so much. it has been a lifesaver for me.. btw. i am 38..and of course finacea doesnt bother my eyes one bit and my eyees are super sensitive..good luck!!!

Hi everyone,

I have MGD after getting LASIK. I'm 27, and I'm also dealing with adult acne. My skin responds really well to salicylic acid products, but my eyes always get much worse whenever I'm using them. They feel dry as bone and my vision gets more blurry and I have abberrations. I take care to avoid that eye area, but beyond that I'm not sure what else I can do. Any advice? Maybe I should try wearing goggles when washing?

I always wash my hands before I do my separate eye washing and massage for MGD. I really don't understand why it seems to be affecting my eyes so much. My eye doctor is the one who recommended a salicylic acid face wash because he saw my skin condition wasn't good either. I use Occusoft Lid cleaner around my eyes and Neutrogena Naturals salicylic acid face wash for the rest. I also tried Neutrogena 3-in-1 hydrating acne treatment instead of a face wash; it made my dry eye worse, too.

Best,
Amanda

[tiff]

I'm 35, have adult acne that's been worse the past two years than since I was a teen, and recently developed Rosacea. Salicylic products used to help my acne, but now they exacerbate my rosacea and burn my eyes. I no longer use any cause on my face. The smell of some even bother my eyes. I'm testing finacea now for two weeks with no skin improvement so far, but I am limited because many acne products and pills make dry eye worse. As awful as it is, I'd sooner live with the acne than make my already irritated eyes feel worse. Have you tried Nicazel, it helped clear my acne for a few months. For some reason it was a short-lived improvement though.

[karensumner]

Tiff..
it took me a good 4-6 weeks to start getting improvement.it doesnt work as quick as retinoids (which we dont want to use) but onceyou are on it it should kick in and stay on it.. do you use it 2x a day or 1x? i use it 2x. i still get an occasional breakout due to seasons changing and hormones but it has helped a lot.i would give it another 4 weeks...good luck! btw. i have eye and face rosacea and it helps so much keep it at bay.. i can wash my face in warm water and it doesnt turn beat red!