Approaching Personal Questions...

So, I have this work colleague who I have noticed has some sort of eczema or psoriasis on her eyelid but it comes and goes, and since my eyelids are very dry, itchy, and peeling (and I also have psoriasis on my knees and elbows) I have been thinking of asking her about it and seeing if there is anything she could recommend for me to use for my similar problem. But, I know how it feels when someone asks me about my skin or other things I am self-conscious about and I certainly don't want to make her feel that way.  Do you think there is any way to bring up the subject without embarrassing her or making her self-conscious about her skin issues? I'm not always the most tactful person, but I try! 

depends on what type of person she is.
if you havent really spoken to her before and dont know her that well, I wouldnt recommend it

/am just going by personal expierance

depends on what type of person she is.
if you havent really spoken to her before and dont know her that well, I wouldnt recommend it

/am just going by personal expierance

Oh I speak to her quite often and know her fairly well. It's not like one of those situations where I've just seen her pass through the office. I wouldn't dream of saying anything if that were the case! We have discussed our diets and weight issues and other pretty personal stuff in the past. I guess I'm just nervous to bring up this subject because I am personally pretty self-conscious about my own skin problems and don't want to make her feel that way.

If you are kinda friendly and you are around each other with no one else around you could always say...weird question but I have this dry skin on my eyelid can you recommend anything as you don't have many girls to ask...

This way you aren't saying HEY I see you have this too! ha ha
It ends up being you who have this and are just looking for a girl recommendation

FYI I have dry eyelid and went to the GP (numnut) and she said hydrocortison <sp?> and I said I have that. I used it like I was suppose to and WALA its starting to come back. She also said stay away from lanolin and it could be from my shampoo.  I thought really? this is the same shampoo I have been using since before I moved here BUT the hydrocortison did work for awhile.

if you've spoken about weight issues then Im sure she wouldnt mind about the ezcema. Just say something like, if she knows the best thing to use to help ezcema on the face since you arent sure the best thing to use. But I wouldnt come out and say "Ive noticed this about you what do you use"

If you are kinda friendly and you are around each other with no one else around you could always say...weird question but I have this dry skin on my eyelid can you recommend anything as you don't have many girls to ask...

This way you aren't saying HEY I see you have this too! ha ha
It ends up being you who have this and are just looking for a girl recommendation

FYI I have dry eyelid and went to the GP (numnut) and she said hydrocortison <sp?> and I said I have that. I used it like I was suppose to and WALA its starting to come back. She also said stay away from lanolin and it could be from my shampoo.  I thought really? this is the same shampoo I have been using since before I moved here BUT the hydrocortison did work for awhile.

Thanks! I have heard that you can wash around your eyes very gently with baby shampoo and that is supposed to help, but haven't tried that yet.

I do use Johnson & Johnson baby bath as a face cleaner and body wash - it jsut smells so good.  It hasnt keep the eyelid thing at bay obviously BUT if you find something keep ME posted 

I have had a similar problem before (and seem to have it again) and I was only able to get rid of it by applying a steroid cream.  Mine is eczema rather than psoriasis though.

You could always start with a compliment: "You know, I've been struggling with dry eyes and I've noticed that your's have really gotten better lately, I was wondering what you've been doing to get a handle on it." That might take some of the sting out of you noticing, as you are noticing that it's getting better.

You could always start with a compliment: "You know, I've been struggling with dry eyes and I've noticed that your's have really gotten better lately, I was wondering what you've been doing to get a handle on it." That might take some of the sting out of you noticing, as you are noticing that it's getting better.

Ouch, that's insinuating that she looked crap to begin with. Backhanded compliment, meant to be a compliment but really is insulting. IMO...

I'd just approch it as I'm having this problem and whinge about it a bit and then just say 'I wish there was something that I could just try...' and leave it hanging so the person could either share their experience or chose not to.

If you're having doubts about asking her I'd think that might indicate that you're not close enough since you are hesitating, if you see what I mean.

My tweenie daughter still gets some patches on her scalp and behind her ears that look like cradle cap, and sometimes her eyes get these flakes around them too. They get red under the flakes and she rubs at them when she's not paying attention.

The doctor suggested I use a q-tip dipped in unscented lotion and rub it gently to remove the scales. Use a clean swab end for each eye. After a few days of this the flaking stops and it all goes back to being completely normal again.

We use Lubriderm or Cetaphil and she is supposed to do it every night before bed.

I am another one who gets eczema on my eye lid-- a very small dot of hydrocortosine (however you spell it!!!) does the trick for me-- but it does say not to use it around the eye area!

Thanks for all of the comments here. I have chickened out of bringing up the subject, which I think, as Missy says, is all down to not knowing her well enough to be comfortable bringing it up. If she were a closer friend, then we probably would've already discussed it somewhere along the line!
Anyway, I've gotten some great suggestions here so far, and the Cetaphil (plus avoiding eye makeup for now) does seem to be helping quite a bit, and I can always try using a dab of Vaseline at night or something, if nothing else. 

Jewlz, what about contacting the Psoriasis Association? They have a list moisturisers and emollients:

http://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/FAQ.htm

or the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance?

http://www.iltdev.co.uk/papaawiki/tiki-index.php?page=Emollients

for advice?

Good luck! 

Jewlz, what about contacting the Psoriasis Association? They have a list moisturisers and emollients:

http://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/FAQ.htm

or the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance?

http://www.iltdev.co.uk/papaawiki/tiki-index.php?page=Emollients

for advice?

Good luck! 

Thanks for that. I think I will stick with the Cetaphil for now until my appointment with a dermatologist arrives, whenever that is. But that is all really great information, and I do plan to get a referral for the skin camo.