Causes, Symptoms, Treatment – Beautiful With Brains

One morning you get up to clusters of tiny crimson bumps round your mouth and nostril and assume oh, it should be a brand new product breaking you out or perhaps it’s since you’ve been slacking in your tretinoin at night time. So, naturally, you deal with it such as you would every other breakout and assume it would go away. 

Besides it doesn’t. 

That’s what occurred to me for two years. Sure, for two years, the tiny little bumps round my mouth, I chalked it as much as zits. However nothing helped it! Actually, my zits merchandise appeared to be making it worse. 

Each time I regarded within the mirror I might have new bumps pop up someplace on my face. It wasn’t till I introduced it up with my dermatologist, that I spotted I wasn’t coping with zits in any respect and I truly had what is known as perioral dermatitis. 

What Is Perioral Dermatitis?

Perioral dermatitis or POD is an inflammatory pores and skin situation that usually presents as a crimson, bumpy rash close to the mouth, nostril and eyes. It may additionally trigger flaky pores and skin and itching. POD can have completely different shows relying on how extreme your case is. It isn’t contagious, however can generally unfold to different areas of your face, like your brow. 

Perioral dermatitis is oftentimes misdiagnosed as zits, or different inflammatory pores and skin circumstances like rosacea or allergic/contact dermatitis.  This pores and skin situation most commonly affects women, normally younger adults to middle-aged. 

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Signs Of Perioral Dermatitis

• A crimson, bumpy rash normally positioned across the mouth or nostril
• Itching or burning on the pores and skin the place the rash is
• Pustule like zits lesions that may seem in clusters

For me, I by no means developed a rash and my pores and skin was by no means itchy. I merely had tiny crimson bumps that popped up round my mouth and nostril. A lot of them had been little pustules and regarded precisely like zits.

What Causes Perioral Dermatitis?

Sadly, the foundation reason behind perioral dermatitis is unclear, however there are some things which were related to POD. 

• Topical and corticosteroids (together with nasal sprays)
• Fluorinated toothpaste
• Sure microorganisms (like micro organism or yeast)
• Hormones
• Sure skincare or make-up merchandise

Perioral Dermatitis Therapies

There are a lot of several types of therapies for perioral dermatitis, together with prescriptions and residential treatments. In lots of circumstances, perioral dermatitis remedy additionally requires life-style adjustments to keep away from any triggers and future outbreaks. 

Perioral dermatitis can come again after remedy, so it’s vital to determine something that is likely to be triggering it for you. It’s vital to notice perioral dermatitis will take a number of months of remedy to completely resolve, even with prescription choices. 

Prescription Perioral Dermatitis Therapies

Usually, in the event you see a health care provider for perioral dermatitis, they’ll prescribe oral antibiotics, topical therapies, or each. 

1. Oral Antibiotics

A 2-3 month lengthy course of oral antibiotics, like tetracycline, doxycycline or erythromycin is usually used to deal with perioral dermatitis. For extra extreme circumstances, you could be prescribed oral and topical antibiotics. 

2. Topical Therapies

Topical antibiotic lotions similar to metronidazole, erythromycin or clindamycin, are most frequently utilized in perioral dermatitis remedy. Different topical components that can be utilized embrace azelaic acid, sulfur, zinc pyrithione, sulfacetamide and adapalene. Immunosuppressive brokers similar to tacrolimus and pimecrolimus have additionally been proven to be efficient in treating POD. 

Associated: The Complete Guide To Azelaic Acid: What It Is, What It Does, And How To Use It

OTC Perioral Dermatitis Therapies

Perioral dermatitis can generally be managed at residence with OTC therapies, together with adjustments to your skincare routine. Fortunately, a number of the generally prescribed components are additionally obtainable over-the-counter. Adapalene, zinc, sulfur and azelaic acid are all obtainable OTC and are value attempting out to assist with POD signs.

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Way of life & Skincare Adjustments

Most of the time, you’ll have to make some main adjustments to do away with perioral dermatitis and stop any recurrences. I needed to fully change my skincare routine and swap to very mild merchandise. 

Listed here are some issues that may be useful when coping with perioral dermatitis:

• Sulfate-free and fluoride-free toothpaste
• Washing sheets, pillowcases, towels, and so on commonly
• Utilizing a hypoallergenic laundry detergent
• Mild skincare merchandise (sulfate and fragrance-free)
• Avoiding any topical or inhaled steroids (cortisone cream, nasal allergy spray and so on)
• Avoiding heavy lotions or moisturizers
• Utilizing sulfate-free hair merchandise
• Solely utilizing very mild exfoliants (bodily & chemical)
• Avoiding irritating merchandise

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What Labored For Me

Since my dermatologist recognized me with perioral dermatitis, my first remedy was a 2 month course of doxycycline, together with my prescription Curology system with tretinoin, clindamycin and azelaic acid. She instructed me that my system may assist deal with the POD so I continued to make use of it. 

I began seeing nice enchancment in a pair weeks with the oral antibiotics. When the two months had been up my pores and skin was fully clear and had been for weeks. Sadly, the POD began to come back again just a few weeks after ending up the antibiotics. 

I began noticing that the night time’s I used my Curology system, the subsequent day I might have extra spots pop up. I didn’t wish to go on one other spherical of antibiotics, so I began to look into different choices. 

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Again To The Fundamentals

I had learn that many individuals had good success with clearing their perioral dermatitis once they stopped utilizing any form of skincare merchandise for just a few weeks. Like not even utilizing a cleanser. 

Personally, I selected to solely use a really primary and mild cleanser and moisturizer. And that’s all I used for just a few weeks. 

La Roche Posay Toleraine Hydrating Cleanser & Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Creamy are my go-to cleansers. For moisturizers, I used La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 or Avene Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream.

Soothing Merchandise

After just a few weeks of solely utilizing cleanser and moisturizer, I noticed plenty of enchancment. However I used to be nonetheless having an occasional flare up. I did some analysis and located that zinc and hypochlorous acid may be nice for soothing pores and skin and treating perioral dermatitis. 

So, I began utilizing a sprig that contained hypochlorous acid (obtainable on amazon). I sprayed that on my pores and skin 2x a day after cleaning. Then adopted with diaper rash cream. Sure, actually. Diaper rash cream is nice as a result of it has numerous zinc oxide, which is nice for irritation and soothing pores and skin. 

I feel the diaper rash cream has been the largest game-changer for me. I seen an enormous distinction in a single day. It helps cut back any redness, settle down irritation and bumps. 

The Backside Line

This stuff, together with the above life-style adjustments, my POD has not come again! I’m nonetheless not utilizing any exfoliation or my Curology system in the meanwhile. I’m going to provide my pores and skin a protracted break from any form of exfoliation. 

Not solely is my perioral dermatitis gone, however my pores and skin appears to be like and feels so significantly better. I feel the quite simple routine has helped my pores and skin tremendously. 

About BrittanyTBB

Brittany is a skincare and wellness blogger at The Blushing Bliss on a mission to supply everybody with simple to grasp info and methods to get the pores and skin of their goals.

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