Eyelid Issue

I’m losing my eyelashes in a little portion of my right eye. What is strange is the skin is wider where the lashes are falling out. Do I have some kind of a vitamin or mineral deficiency?

As herbalists, the very first thing we tell people when they have a medical issue is: “when in doubt, check it out”. In your case, having your eye lids checked out by an ophthalmologist and/or dermatologist is the best place to start. However there are some things that I can recommend doing in the meantime:

Check your eye makeup. If your eye makeup is old or if it is not of good quality (I prefer Dr. Hauschka, Origins and other natural brands), I would recommend starting fresh with a brand that is more natural.

Check you eye makeup remover. Some removers are oily and can leave a residue, while others can be quite harsh to the delicate skin around the eyes. Again, make sure that the remover isn’t old and is of good quality.

Getting good sleep, eating healthy and using supplements wisely is also recommended. For instance, I take a daily probiotic, multi-vitamin and cod liver oil.

Finally, when my eyes feel tired, I make my “soothing eye relief ” compress. First, I make a batch of tea (see recipe below), strain it and let it chill in the refrigerator. I then soak a clean wash cloth in the tea, wring it out and put over my closed eyes. Here is the recipe:

Soothing Eye Relief: equal parts of:

Eyebright

Elder flower

Greater celandine

Plantain

Steep for 15 minutes, strain and chill in the refrigerator. Always use a clean cloth as your poultice. The tea will last about 5 days.

All of these herbs can be found at Mountain Rose Herbs. Good luck!