HOUSTON
Many women who develop an itchy, painful irritation of the eyelid assume makeup is the culprit. But often, it's the nail polish they're wearing. "People who have eyelid dermatitis assume it's due to something they put on their eye," said Dr. Rajani Katta, assistant professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine. "Most of the time, it's something that accidentally comes in contact with the eyelid." The eyelid is a common place for rashes to develop, because the skin is so sensitive in that area, she said. "You can touch things with your hands and it doesn't bother them. The skin of your hands is thick and not that sensitive," Katta said. "But, if you accidentally touch your eyelid, a rash can develop." Cosmetics for the eyes can cause irritation, even if a patient has used the same product for a long time. "You can develop an allergy at any time, and sometimes companies even change product ingredients without advertising that fact," Katta said.
