Barley, or inflammation of the eyelash hair follicle, is one of the most common inflammatory eye diseases. Many are familiar with the excruciating discomfort that an itchy, swollen nodule at the root of the eyelash brings. He strives to appear at the most crucial moment in life - before a responsible business meeting, a difficult exam or a long-awaited date. And the problem is not only the discomfort, pain and itching that accompany barley. Inflammation also turns into a serious cosmetic problem, especially for the fair sex. And it's no secret that many sick people are primarily concerned about the answer to the question “is it possible to hide barley”, and only then “how to cure it”.
In fact, it is almost impossible to “hide” the manifestations of barley, moreover, attempts to hide it under a layer of decorative cosmetics and concealers are fraught with the spread of infection to neighboring, still healthy follicles of the eyelashes or progression inflammation. In addition, using decorative cosmetics during an illness, a woman runs the risk of bringing bacteria into bottles with mascara, shadows, foundation, on the surface of brushes. After that, the cosmetic products themselves will serve as a source of infection.
The only correct solution is not to try to disguise the barley under a layer of cosmetics, but to treat it. Moreover, the earlier the treatment is started, the faster the recovery will come, and the unpleasant symptoms of inflammation will disappear. What manifestations of the disease should alert and become the reason for the immediate start of treatment? First of all, this is redness and itching in the area of eyelash growth on the eyelid. This is how the inflammation of the eyelash hair follicle begins. A little later, usually within a few hours, pain joins these manifestations, the affected area of the eyelid becomes swollen, hot to the touch. The inflammation can remain localized, or spread to the entire eyelid.
The cause of barley is bacteria that have penetrated to the eyelash follicle from the surface of the skin. Most often - Staphylococcus aureus. No evil eye or fear can cause this disease, these stereotypes are relics of the past. Therefore, trying to cure barley with a red thread on the wrist or other “folk” remedies is pointless. In addition, you can not pierce the abscess, warm it up with an egg, burn areas of inflammation with brilliant green or alcohol - such manipulations are dangerous with a burn, injury to the conjunctiva or the spread of purulent inflammation to healthy areas century.
One of the most common methods of treating conjunctivitis can only be the use of modern antibacterial drugs to eliminate infection in the focus of inflammation. In particular, the antimicrobial agent, ofloxacin, eliminates the bacteria that provoked inflammation, due to which the unpleasant manifestations of barley disappear soon. For example, ofloxacin is the active ingredient of the drug Floxal, which is available in the form of an eye ointment, its it is convenient to apply directly to the site of inflammation, due to which the active substance works where it is necessary. The main thing is to treat barley with a course of at least five days. Even if the symptoms of inflammation have disappeared, an earlier interruption of the course can cause incomplete disappearance of bacteria, which will entail a second disease.
There is no need to hide barley: elimination of inflammation removes the need to mask it. The main thing is that the treatment is correct and aimed at eliminating the cause of inflammation, microbes, and not at hiding the manifestations of the disease. And it is better to refuse decorative cosmetics for the period of barley treatment in order to be sure that the infection will not spread to adjacent healthy eyelashes and will not end up in cosmetic bottles means.
Alina Safronova, ophthalmologist of the Treatment and Diagnostic Center of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Moscow
