Eyelid bumps are very painful, and may appear at the edge of the eyelid, typically where the lash meets the lid. Bacteria or a blockage in the oil glands of the eyelid causes most of them. They are often harmless and don’t always require medical treatment.
However, if the pimple becomes increasingly painful, doesn’t respond to treatments, or interfere with your vision, talk to your doctor about ways to manage it.
There are several types of eyelid bumps. Knowing the type and underlying cause the bump under eye will determine the best course of treatment.
Styes
This is the most common type of eyelid bump. It usually occur when bacteria get into the oil glands in the eyelids. A stye is a round, red pimple that appears close to the eyelashes. It can make your eyelid feel sore and cause you to be sensitive to light and make your eye watery or feel scratchy. Often it takes a few days to form, and you may have more than one at a time.
Chalazion
It is an inflammatory lesion that forms when the oil-producing glands or tear gland in the eyelids become blocked. Usually, it grows further on your eyelid than a stye, and it is often painless in most cases. It may interfere with your vision depending on where it grows and how big it gets.
Xanthelasma
These are harmless, yellow bumps that occur when certain fats build up under the skin of the eye. They usually tend to appear in older adults, indicating high cholesterol levels.
Milia
Milia cysts may occur in groups under or above the eyelid. They form as a result of keratin being trapped beneath the skin surface. If the small pimples feel like hard bumps under eye, it is because keratin is a strong protein. Keratin is initially found in nails, hair and skin tissues.
Papilloma
This is a benign tumour or growth on the skin that appears as a pimple under eye and is prevalent in the elderly. Papilloma bumps on eyelid are painless and may look like warts or skin tags. Unless it starts to obstruct your vision, they are often harmless at any course. Surgical removal may be recommended in case they cause poor vision.
Pimple under Eye Causes
- For styes – usually occur when bacteria enter and inflame the oil glands. You may be at risk of having them if you have a condition called blepharitis, which is an inflammation of the eyelash follicles.
- For chalazion – can form when the oil glands in your eyelids are blocked. Those styes that do not drain can turn into chalazia.
- For Xanthelasma – may occur when you have collections of fat below the surface of the skin of an eye. They sometimes indicate an underlying condition that causes high cholesterol, such as diabetes. They can also form without a connection to any medical problem.
- As keratin is a strong protein, when it is trapped in the skin under eye may cause cystic bumps that fill like stones.
- Accumulation of dead skin cell, oil, and bacteria in the pore under eye. This accumulation and blockage cause bacterial action that leads to an infected pimple under eye that erupts into a bump.
- Eye make ups such as mascara, eye shadow and eyeliners can clog pores on the eyelid rim and cause a formation of a bump. Other than clogging the pores, some make ups can carry bacteria that can cause infection on the eyelid.
- Though rare, you can get a bump under eye caused by STDs. The bumps may appear as red, brown or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the eyelids.
Symptoms of pimple under eye
Most eyelid bumps occur as red or skin-colored lumps, and they typically form along the edge of the eyelid. Sometimes, they can be tender, watery eyes, a gritty, scratchy sensation in the eye and sensitivity to light.
However, most eyelid bumps are mild or harmless and some may show a more serious condition. You can talk to your doctor if any of the following occur:
- you have trouble in seeing
- your eyes are extremely watery
- there is copious discharge from your eye
- the white part of your eye changes colour
- your eyes are hurting even in low lighting
- your pimple under eye bleeds, gets worse, grows very big, or is very painful
- your eyelid is scaly, crusty, or red
- Your eyelid has blisters.
If the bump under eye does not go away over time with home care, you should have a doctor look at it to make sure it is not a sign of a more serious medical condition or offer better options to treat it.
Reasons for Pimple under Eye area
Lumps can form under the eye basing from different conditions on the skin of the eyelid. The lower eyelid is usually slightly smaller as compared to the upper eyelid. Depending on the size, a pimple under the eye can appear as a red swelling or a big bump.
Chalazion, xanthelasma, Blepharitis, or stye pimple on lower eyelid and sometimes milia spots can cause either a tender or hard painful lump under the eyelid. Chronic acne and eye lid boils can also be the reason for the lump to appear below the eyelid.
Treatments and medications
This may range from antibiotic medications to anti-allergens. The kind of treatment your doctor will prescribe will depend on the cause. Antibiotics will be used to treat pimples, zits or boils caused by bacterial infections in the eye.
If there is need to remove the bump, surgical excision can be used for this kind of treatment. Popping and draining are also possible ways to treat the bumps, especially if they are swollen and pus filled. If there is swelling, anti-inflammatory steroid injections may be given to reduce the swelling.
Antibiotic ointment
Normally, a stye will goes away on its own. In case the stye persists the doctor will to prescribe antibiotics such as Antibiotic eye drops which are the most likely treatment for them. Also topical cream or ointment can help applied on the pimple under eye to get rid of them.
When the stye infections persist and spread around the eyelid, antibiotic tablets or pills may be preferred to topical creams and ointments.
Surgery
Another way to remove a lump under eye is through surgery. Surgical treatment is also another option to consider.
Here a small cut or incision is made on the bump to drain the pus. It usually speed up the healing process and help in relieving pain as well as swelling on the cyst. On the other hand, pain relieving medications are advised to help relieve a painful pimple on the eyelid.
Pimple under Eye Bag Meaning
You may develop a pimple under your eye bag that can be painful. Those pimples are usually caused by numerous conditions on your eye. For you treat the condition you have to know the primary cause of the pimple under eye. This will enable you to come up with the rightful treatment.
If the eye bug will not go away, do not trouble your mind any longer. Go see your doctor, and share with him about it.
Causes of White Pimple under Eyelid
White pimple that form on your eyelid is a sign of infection to the pimple. The said bump may appear yellowish, greyish or as a white spot on eyelid due to the accumulation of pus cells inside the cyst sac. A bump from any cause can produce white dots, pimples and bumps on the lower or upper part of the eyelid.
When infected, white eyelid pimples or bumps can be painful. They can also grow into larger cysts, causing a lot of complications discomfort. The surrounding tissues of the eye can also get infected with the bacteria if proper care and treatment is not observed.
When on the eyelid crease, a pimple under eye can make it painful to blink. Dermatologists will often try to get rid of a white eyelid pimple or bump by draining it first. Antibiotic drugs may be given to treat and prevent the spread of the bacteria.
Pimples that form under eye are among the natural skin problems encountered by nearly all people. Some of them are occasional breakouts while others are bothered with recurring issues. When you develop a stubborn pimple under eye, just seek medical help instead of trying out some home treatment that don’t work.
What to do to help Pimple under eye go away
- Keep Facial Hygiene
Wash your face at least twice a day. Wash your face thoroughly to remove contamination, lifeless skin cells, and extra oil from the surface of your skin, and make sure that you use warm water and soap.
- Avoid Popping the Pimple
Take care not to crack the pimple. This will encourage a more complicated infection that cannot be handled easily. It can lead to more severe congestion, greater swelling and redness. Bursting pimples also increases the risk of causing deep pock marks on the skin.
- Do not touch the pimple
At any cost avoid touching your pimple under eye with your bare hands, and do not allow the telephone receiver to touch your face either. This is because it may contain skin dregs or oily secretion which can cause irritation and more infection.
- Stop using eye makeup for a while
Stop using eye makeups for a while and remove all the makeup from your face before going to sleep. Do not use cosmetics containing chemicals that will irritate the skin as well. Check the labels for manufacture guidelines for instructions.
- Avoid the Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet rays from the sun can also lead to skin damage. Moreover, certain pimples medications may even make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Do not stay long under the sun especially between the hours of ten in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Home Remedies for Pimple under Eye
- Ice. Wrap ice in a piece of cloth and press it on the pimple under eye skin area for a few seconds. Wait for several minutes before repeating the process. Repeated application reduces swelling and alleviates the skin immediately.
- Garlic. It is an anti-oxidant and anti-fungal agent that helps treat pimples quickly. Cut the garlic clove into pieces and make a juice from it, and rub these on your pimples. Allow it to stand for some minutes before washing with lukewarm water. Be cautious with your eyes to make sure you do not irritate them.
- Lemon. Lemon juice helps pimples dry faster. Immerse a clean cotton swab in fresh lemon juice and apply on the pimples before you go to sleep at night. Make sure that the eye does not come into contact with the eyes as it may cause irritation.
Medical Treatments for Pimples under your eyes
- Over-the-counter acne products
You can use over-the-counter product with a doctor’s prescription, the pharmacist may also give you some information on the use. Use the product with care to avoid causing problems to the eye.
- Incise and drain
Seek professional treatment if home treatment solutions will not heal the bump. The deep breakouts can be cut and drained by the doctor. A small cut is made and the pus or fluid drained.
What is Pimple under Eye Swollen a Sign of
The stye develops when an oil gland at the edge of an eyelid get filled with ail, dead skin cells and becomes infected. Resembling a pimple on the eyelid, a stye can grow on the inside or outside of the lid.
The swollen eye may look bulky on the lower lid with a reddish colour to indicated inflammation. Most swellings on the under eyelid are caused by stye.
Here are some facts about the stye that cause a swelling under eye:
The first signs are pain, redness, swelling and tenderness.
After symptoms appear, a small pimple will develop in the affected area. . Sometimes just the immediate area is swollen; at other times, the entire eyelid swells.
The ability to see well at either near or distance should not be affected by a stye.
A stye is usually caused by staphylococcal bacteria. This bacterium is found in the nose and is transferred easily to the eye when you rub your nose, causing a bump under eye then your eye.
It is true that everyone has this stye-causing bacteria in their body. We all, at any age, have the potential to develop a stye without outside contamination.
Most styes heal on their own within a few days.
In most cases styes will go away on their own, but you can speed up these by applying hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times a day, every day for several days. This will relieve the pain and bring the stye to a head, much like a pimple. In most cases, the stye will then rupture, drain and heal without further treatments.
Never pop a pimple under eye
You are not supposed to pop a stye like you would do to any other pimple. Allow the stye to rupture on its own.
A stye that forms inside the eyelid might not rupture and heal on its own. Because this type of stye can be more serious, your doctor may need to open and drain it.
If you have recurring styes, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment to prevent a recurrence. They also might recommend using pre-moistened eyelid cleaning pads for daily lid hygiene, to reduce the risk of styes.
Pimple vs Cyst under Eye
Cysts are closed structures made out of tissues, which contains semi- solid substances, liquid, blood or air. When they form on one’s eye, it can be much discomforting
The cyst under eye, which is formed on the upper or the lower eyelid is called as an Eye Cyst or Chalazion. There are other names that may be used to describe these cysts such as conjunctival granuloma or tarsal cysts or meibomian cysts.
Cause of cyst under eye
The most common reasons for the pimple under eye from cyst formation is a bacterium. Obstructing the oil glands in the eye forms the cyst, and these cysts can be in varying sizes and causes pain, infection or in some cases it can also be dormant without causing problems.
Some cysts may be large and affect the clarity of vision of a person. When a person is affected with eye cyst it is important not to rub that part as it may cause an increase in the redness and soreness of the eye.
Sharing the problem to the physician and taking appropriate treatment is may help treat the cyst under eye. However, the conditions may vary from one individual to another.
How to Treat Pimple under Eye
Handling the pimple that form under your eye will be easy if you first know the underlying cause. As we have learnt from the information above, we have many kinds of causes that may result to a bump under your eye.
These white bumps, however, are most often nothing to be concerned about. But if you are really upset about it, there’re ways that can help you to get rid of them more easily.
Pimples usually go away on their own with no requirement of intervention, although there are numerous home remedies you can try to help remove them faster, some of them are listed below:
Honey
It has great antioxidant properties, making it useful in treating white bumps under eyes. Spread honey onto the affected area and leave it there for about 15 minutes, then wash it off. Repeat daily until you see changes.
Castor oil
Has antibacterial properties, amongst other benefits in relation to healing. Apply about half of a teaspoon onto the affected area, and allow the oil to soak in. do this daily until the condition is eradicated.
Sugar Scrub
A sugar rub can help to exfoliate the skin, and therefore can be beneficial in treating pimple under eye. Mix lemon juice with olive oil and some granulated sugar, and rub the mixture gently onto the affected area, leave it for 20 minutes before you wash it off.
Pomegranate peel powder
Has natural exfoliating and antioxidant properties, as well as being full of vitamin C, usually used naturally in the treatment of bumps. Roast the peels until they crush to a powder then mix it with a bit of lemon juice. Gently apply the mixture to your face, leaving it for about twenty minutes before rinsing it off.
Warm compress
Helps to eradicate debris and dead skin cells from the skin, take a clean towel and soak it in hot water. Strain the excess volume of water and place the warm towel upon your face for several minutes. This can be repeated numerous times on a daily basis to achieve the best results
Further references
- Eyelid bump: http://www.healthline.com/health/eyelid-bump#Overview1
- White bumps under eye: http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/White-Bumps-Under-Eyes.html
- How to treat bumps under eyes: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-Of-a-Stye