Suspected Perioral Dermatitis Please Help!

[Rowlie]

To cut a long story short, I used a spot sticker for a spot three weeks ago. Had some sort of reaction to it and removed straight away. There was like a red rash where I’d used it. It didn’t go away after a week so I stupidly applied a steroid I had at home leftover from something else. This basically got rid of it, but still left a darkened mark. Stopped using the steroid BAM I now have what I think is perioral dermatitis and it’s awful all over my chin and lines up to nose. It was a potent steroid I now realise.

GP has so far advised zero product and just leave it alone. I have a front facing job at work and I am incredibly self conscious. I don’t want to make it worse by wearing makeup and I’m terrified I am going to be left with scarring. Stopped the steroid five days ago and no improvement as of yet. Soonest dermatology appointment (private) in my area is May so still six weeks away, not sure if I can live with this until then, I have a lot of important pitches at work coming up and events. I feel so stupid and incredibly down.
Does anyone know what I can do to get rid? It’s also itchy, sore and tight in addition to how it looks.

Another vote for Rosex Cream (not the gel as it's alcohol based). It is a metronidazole antibiotic. I got mine from an online pharmacy for about £20.

Take the antibiotics, OP. I needed min 6 weeks. You're not taking them unnecessarily - you need them.

This looks like Demodex mite spots.

do not use steroid cream on it. Use a sulfur based face wash daily, or a tea tree oil wipe. Use castor oil at night. Change your pillowcase every night.

I agree that Fluclox is not the right thing. See another Dr or do an online request for Doxicycline or similar. Quickest treatment is antibiotics in my experience. Friend of mine had it for months because she used only natural remedies but eventually resorted to antibiotics which finally got rid of it

Hi there, I had this thanks to Skin & Me. I used Rosex cream which I got prescribed through an online pharmacy. It did clear it up although it isn’t a quick fix (not sure anything is for PD). DO NOT use steroid creams. I started using the Dr Sam’s range as it is extremely gentle on the skin barrier and am still using it now even though I’ve been rid of PD for ages. Good luck x

Thanks all. I have now been prescribed Lymecycline and Elidel cream. Hoping improvements will be seen soon as have a lot of bit work events coming up.

I took the antibiotics. It spread a bit more before healing then went and never came back.
I switched make up for mineral brands
I changed face cream to la roche possay and avene

Zinc was also helpful.

My antibiotics were a low dose 6 week course. Yours doesn't sound quite right

@thepoowhispererswife interesting you say that as I also suspect Skin and Me was the cause (particularly their all in one moisturiser/ suncream) The remaining redness after antibiotics has almost completely died down since I stopped using their products. I wasn't using tret on the affected area anyway due to fear of dryness around nose and mouth but I think it does end up migrating to places you'd don't use it anyway.

@VividDeer I think Lymecycline is widely used to treat PD. I am on a 2-month course.

That's good. I thought you had a week of doxycyline

I got given a month of Lymecline. I tried going back to basic and even just used a face cloth.However, I went on to the ordinary and sent them pictures. I got a face wash, toner and ointment. I'd thoroughly recommend it. I can tell you which ones when I'm home but recommend doing a consult online with them.

I was treated by the doctor for 3 months with a strong steroid cream as he was convinced it was eczema. Saw a different doctor, she recognised it as perioral dermatitis immediately. Antibiotics course and within a week it was so much better. No more hiding around my mouth with my hand.

I now use Cera Ve face wash and facial spf50 face cream on the advice of a dermatologist as where the steroid cream was used longterm I will have sensitive skin. And I’m 65!

Good luck getting rid of it.

@LifeMovesOn yes I am concerned I’ve damaged the area permanently. Although I only used the steroid cream for a week but it was a potent one apparently. I’m worried about hyperpigmentation and it leaving scarring!

I thought I was starting to see some improvement but started using Elidel cream and it’s worsened again! Think I will stick with using nothing and just continue taking the lymecycline

I had this very badly for months about a year ago. Mine was also caused by Skin+Me - a Tretinoin dosage that was too strong for me.

As others have said, please don't put steroids on it. Lots of GPs will try to prescribe them for it and it's the worst thing you can do for it. I tried Metronidazole cream, which made it worse. Tried doing nothing to it, which didn't help anything and my skin just got dry and more sore. Finally was prescribed Doxycycline by the GP. I didn't take it initially as we were going on holiday somewhere hot and it can cause photosensitivity, so my intention was to take them when we got home. Before leaving and whilst away I used Avène Cicalfate balm and La Roche Posay Cicaplast B5 cleanser and the rash and spots cleared up over a couple of weeks using those and I never had to take the antibiotics. I just kept applying the balm whenever my skin felt dry or tight and it soothed the rash almost instantly and started clearing up straight away. I had been struggling with it for 5 months prior to that and it was very bad and had extended to around my eyes as well. Healing isn't linear with it and my rash did flare up some days and then fade, but it progressively improved over time.

I think it was the Avène that cracked it for me. I still use it now as my skin loves it and it's great for soothing spots/dry patches/anything really, plus cheap as chips so worth a try: Avène Cicalfate.

Be very aware that it takes a long time for the skin barrier to heal and introducing anything new is likely to cause a flare for months afterwards (I still have to be careful now, a year on), so it's worth sticking with very simple skincare for a long time after the initial flare has died down and be very mindful of adding any new products in.

I have also been using only this Avene Cicalfate moisturiser. It's been great for my skin over winter.
I think mine was originally caused by a steroid cream, for what I thought was patch of dermatitis on my chin. I cannot remember what caused that but in retrospect, it was probably damage to my skin barrier from using strong products inappropriately.
The most recent outbreak was caused by a Avene Vitamin C cream.
I think when you have damaged your skin barrier, it takes such a long time to heal and may always be too sensitive to take on really strong skin care products.

I have now been on lymecycline for one week. I saw some initial improvement and the itching and redness was going down however I think this was largely due to leaving my face completely alone and not using anything on it as I understand the lymecycline can take at least two weeks to see any difference.

This weekend I spent a lot of time outside in the cold and windy UK weather and it has flared up again as bad it was a week ago. I feel like I’m never going to shift it!

The doctor also prescribed Elidel cream (pimecrolimus) but when I tried a bit last week it made it really red again, so I stopped as reviews online seem to be mixed as to whether Elidel cream helps perioral dermatitis or not. Wondering whether to persevere?

From a fed up and very self-conscious Perioral D sufferer - my face is such a mess!

persevere. Indeed the oral antibiotics take a while to kick in.

My daughter has this a found removing all SLS additives from products, shampoo, toothpaste, face wash and shower gels helps her . She found the one that affected her the most was toothpaste .