A red, itchy, burning, flaking rash smack dab in the center of my face. This is what I dealt with for the majority of a month. Perioral dermatitis is an extremely frustrating and debilitating skin condition, attacking some women for years on end. The key is figuring out the root cause of it, and working with a dermatologist to find the best treatment.
My first run-in with perioral dermatitis was in July 2018. I had a few red, bumpy patches around my mouth and nose. I just assumed it was acne, so I went to my family doctor expecting to get an antibiotic that I had been on before to clear it up. It was nothing major, but slathering even the best concealer (Lancôme Effacernes Undereye Concealer is my personal favorite) over the bumps wasn’t making it any better.
My doctor told me this wasn’t acne, and not even very close to it. Perioral dermatitis, (perioral meaning around the mouth) is a skin condition more comparable to eczema. Sweeeeet! It occurs mainly in women ages 16-45, and doctors are still stumped on the real cause of it. Although, there are some things that have been linked to breakouts:
- Prolonged use of steroid creams
- Birth control pills
- Scented face creams
- Fluoridated toothpaste
- Products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate (shampoo, laundry detergent)
- Harsh weather conditions
My doctor prescribed me to an oral antibiotic, doxycycline and a topical steroid cream, triamcinolone. The red patches went away within a few days and I went on my merry way. The antibiotic made my skin clearer than it had ever been, and I totally forgot that I had even dealt with the skin condition at all.
That wasn’t until late January…the revenge tour. I woke up with a few of those same red patches, but this time they were bigger and scarier. They popped up on my face overnight. I remember looking in the mirror yelling in my head “no no no no please no!”
This is where things get a little tricky– a few years before I had my first round of perioral dermatitis, I had been prescribed Finacea, another topical steroid cream, for a prior rash on my chin. I had just refilled it and started applying it a few days before the perioral dermatitis came back, so naturally I slathered the stuff all over my chin, hoping it would help…not even suspecting that it may have been what caused it.
After doing my research and finding the main causes I listed above, I could’ve slapped myself. The leading cause was prolonged use of steroid creams, and I had been using the triamcinolone everyday since July, as well as the Finacea for a couple of days. And the best part? Steroid-induced perioral dermatitis was the hardest to get rid of. This means that ultimately what I was given to treat perioral dermatitis, was now causing it. Yayyyy!
I became so insecure, cancelling plans left and right because I was so ashamed of my face. After making an emergency call to my mom (what would I do without her), she found a dermatologist close to my university. I set up my appointment as my rash became more irritated.
The dermatologist took one look at me and knew exactly what it was, prescribing me to the antibiotic doxycycline once again, but this time a cream that didn’t contain steroids: Eucrisa. You know the commercial: a bunch of kids happily galavanting on a playground while their mothers slap this magical cream on their eczema breakouts, happily ever after.
Eucrisa did not work out that way for me. It burned and itched like hell when I put it on, and even though it kept it moisturized, it seemed to be making it more inflamed. I scheduled another appointment to see what else the dermatologist could give me.
Meanwhile, I became a hermit. I went to class and work, came home and didn’t leave for the rest of the night. There are much bigger problems in life than a rash on your face, believe me…I know. But for a whole month, I felt like the most hideous person. I avoided looking anyone in the eye, I wore a baseball hat and a scarf in an effort to cover my face everyday, and I missed out on so much by canceling plans with the people I loved. My face hurt every second of the day, but not as much as I hurt inside by locking myself away from everything and everyone.
It was about three weeks into having this breakout when I went back to the dermatologist to find another solution after Eucrisa. I didn’t even get a word out before she said “The Eucrisa is burning isn’t it? Try this.” She handed me a trial-sized tube of Elidel, pimecrolimus cream. She instructed me to stay patient with the antibiotics and to apply this cream twice a day along with it. Within a few days, my skin was 75% clear.
I still don’t know if it was the antibiotics kicking in or the Elidel that finally killed it, but I couldn’t care less. Finally I was able to wear makeup without looking like my skin was erupting in a series of flakey mountains.
Many people prefer to treat POD naturally. If mine ever comes back, I plan to try to get rid of it without antibiotics. Here are some of the home remedies that have worked for others:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Throw out products that contain fluoride or sodium lauryl sulfate
- Coconut oil
- Cut out sugar, eggs, gluten, dairy and coffee (this is never going to happen for me)
- Reduce stress
The biggest takeaway skin-care wise from my experience with POD is that less is more. As women we are constantly getting the best new skincare products shoved in our face, making us think they’re necessary. The truth is, our skin just needs to be left alone sometimes. Post POD, I only use 2 products on my face besides makeup: micellar water to wash, and 100% organic argan oil as moisturizer.
I also learned just how amazing and supportive my family and friends are. It would’ve been so much worse without my mom texting me every morning “How’s your skin?” and my friends who came over to my house instead of going out so I could feel comfortable being that little pizza-faced hermit.
If you’re currently dealing with POD, first realize that it WILL clear up. It may take months, but it’s just a matter of trial and error. As cheesy as this sounds, no skin condition can take away your beauty. And in the words of our savior Ariana Grande, “my smile is beamin’, my skin is gleamin’” will soon be relatable once again.
