what a blow to my self confidence :(
- Thread starter vuittonamour
- Start date
This is going to sound like a "dirty hippie" ethos, but hear me out. I've had and still deal with a few different issues on my face and scalp. I've been through a few doctors and the last dermatologist prescribed a cocktail of meds before I even told him why I was there. Huge blow to the ego, particularly since I was having a good face day! Ugh. So, I've gone as natural as I can and I've gotten great results.
Part of the problem is that we're assaulting our skin with a ton of chemicals and then throwing more chemicals at it to try and fix the problem. Particularly during a flare up, it you don't want to aggravate it more. If you have a stomach ache, you don't want to eat a lot, KWIM? The stuff you found out about could be causes, but there's an even better likeliness that they're going to bug the condition you have (no matter how you got it). I've lost track of the meds I've had (antibiotics and topical creams), and now that I've let up on them I look my best. I stick with pure Olive Oil based cleaners from DHC and Devachan non-shampoo for my hair. I'm not totally sold on Deva, but I just finished grad school so that was probably more to blame for my massive hair-shedding than anything else. That, and the fact that I forgot to get a haircut for about 2 years.
Hair is tricky...I have thick curls that tangle easily too, and I still get a rash behind my ears and along my hairline at the nape. Freaking annoying, but as long as I wash it more often (not something I like to do with my perpetually dry hair, but I have to) and treat it with tea tree oil it clears right up. I use the tiniest amount of shampoo, and make sure I massage my scalp with my fingertips. If I straightened my hair, I leave it for a couple days, if I didn't then I'll just rinse my hair the next day to space out the shampooings. I use a soft washcloth to exfoliate my face gently rather than a separate product. Less chemicals, more manual cleaning.
It takes a while to see results, because the body gets out of whack trying to compensate for what we do to it, but after a while it stops over-producing oils or reacting violently to everyday stimuli. I'm not saying that you should stop your medication, but it might be a good idea to not do too much else to your skin that will interfere with it working.
It's frustrating when this happens just as you need to take photos. I did a thesis that depended on me being able to photograph myself regularly on film, which I can't retouch! And of course, I'd get stressed and break out on cue. But lately, some months I won't even get my regular PMS acne -- success!
After too many years of annoying skin (and I'm only 24, *sigh*), the best I can say is to patient, stay on top of the situation, but don't over do it. It may be a good idea to keep a log of when you start meds, and take a digi photo every morning of the affected area so that you can have a non-biased view of your progress. Best of luck!
Part of the problem is that we're assaulting our skin with a ton of chemicals and then throwing more chemicals at it to try and fix the problem. Particularly during a flare up, it you don't want to aggravate it more. If you have a stomach ache, you don't want to eat a lot, KWIM? The stuff you found out about could be causes, but there's an even better likeliness that they're going to bug the condition you have (no matter how you got it). I've lost track of the meds I've had (antibiotics and topical creams), and now that I've let up on them I look my best. I stick with pure Olive Oil based cleaners from DHC and Devachan non-shampoo for my hair. I'm not totally sold on Deva, but I just finished grad school so that was probably more to blame for my massive hair-shedding than anything else. That, and the fact that I forgot to get a haircut for about 2 years.
Hair is tricky...I have thick curls that tangle easily too, and I still get a rash behind my ears and along my hairline at the nape. Freaking annoying, but as long as I wash it more often (not something I like to do with my perpetually dry hair, but I have to) and treat it with tea tree oil it clears right up. I use the tiniest amount of shampoo, and make sure I massage my scalp with my fingertips. If I straightened my hair, I leave it for a couple days, if I didn't then I'll just rinse my hair the next day to space out the shampooings. I use a soft washcloth to exfoliate my face gently rather than a separate product. Less chemicals, more manual cleaning.
It takes a while to see results, because the body gets out of whack trying to compensate for what we do to it, but after a while it stops over-producing oils or reacting violently to everyday stimuli. I'm not saying that you should stop your medication, but it might be a good idea to not do too much else to your skin that will interfere with it working.
It's frustrating when this happens just as you need to take photos. I did a thesis that depended on me being able to photograph myself regularly on film, which I can't retouch! And of course, I'd get stressed and break out on cue. But lately, some months I won't even get my regular PMS acne -- success!
After too many years of annoying skin (and I'm only 24, *sigh*), the best I can say is to patient, stay on top of the situation, but don't over do it. It may be a good idea to keep a log of when you start meds, and take a digi photo every morning of the affected area so that you can have a non-biased view of your progress. Best of luck!
^^^ thanks for your advice. more and more i'm considering going natural with soaps and shampoos thinking maybe it might help. i just can't fathom walking around like this so i have to put some kind of make up on to cover the patches. i know this could be aggravating it and prolonging the recovery, but i look like hell otherwise. i'm going to see about trying to find make up that's more natural and won't cause much harm to it. other than that the only thing i put on it is dove soap to clean my face. but i think i am going to discontinue using that and look for something natural that doesnt have sodium lauryl sulfate in it. funny thing is the derm never asked me what products i was using...
and btw, non fluorinated tooth paste
lol.
and btw, non fluorinated tooth paste
lol.
OMG hugs to you!
I know all about this horrible condition, I had it in 2005 and I was stuck with it for 5 months until I was (finally) put on the right treatment, and I also had a breakout of it this year but it only lasted a couple of weeks.
You need to go to a dermatologist, not a doctor.
GP's seem to want to treat any rash with steroids (I was sent to about 4 doctors, all gave me steroids, all made it worse).
The proper treatment for perioral dermatitis is usually tetracycline or similar. Your dermatologist might want to try topical antibiotics before tablets, but topical creams tend to be less effective than actually taking antibiotics.
Lifestyle factors can play a role too. My dermatologist told me to stop using fluoride toothpaste (I now use herbal toothpaste that doesn't contain any fluoride). It's important to avoid getting any chemicals or creams on the affected area - whatever you do do NOT try and cover it up with make-up, it makes the rash so much worse.
Also, avoid any foaming facial cleansers. My dermatologist told me to not even clean the area with anything but luke warm water - cleansers, make-up and even hot water can make the rash worse. I now use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, which has no sodium lauryl sulphate (a chemical ingredient which makes stuff 'foam up').
Are you going through or have you recently been through a really stressful time? Stress is what made it break out on me. It sounds silly, but Perioral dermatitis is often a result of being really stressed and run down (as well as a combination of other factors), because stress changes lots of hormone levels in your body and hormones often play a big role in developing perioral dermatitis, so if you are really stressed you should try and take lots of time out.
I know how horrible this illness is. It's really frustrating and makes you very very emotional and depressed. I'd really recommend going to a dermatologist and pushing the strong oral antibiotics treatment. It WILL go away with time and with the right treatment, I promise, and one day it will all be a nasty memory. Best of luck to you!!!
I know all about this horrible condition, I had it in 2005 and I was stuck with it for 5 months until I was (finally) put on the right treatment, and I also had a breakout of it this year but it only lasted a couple of weeks.
You need to go to a dermatologist, not a doctor.
GP's seem to want to treat any rash with steroids (I was sent to about 4 doctors, all gave me steroids, all made it worse).
The proper treatment for perioral dermatitis is usually tetracycline or similar. Your dermatologist might want to try topical antibiotics before tablets, but topical creams tend to be less effective than actually taking antibiotics.
Lifestyle factors can play a role too. My dermatologist told me to stop using fluoride toothpaste (I now use herbal toothpaste that doesn't contain any fluoride). It's important to avoid getting any chemicals or creams on the affected area - whatever you do do NOT try and cover it up with make-up, it makes the rash so much worse.
Also, avoid any foaming facial cleansers. My dermatologist told me to not even clean the area with anything but luke warm water - cleansers, make-up and even hot water can make the rash worse. I now use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, which has no sodium lauryl sulphate (a chemical ingredient which makes stuff 'foam up').
Are you going through or have you recently been through a really stressful time? Stress is what made it break out on me. It sounds silly, but Perioral dermatitis is often a result of being really stressed and run down (as well as a combination of other factors), because stress changes lots of hormone levels in your body and hormones often play a big role in developing perioral dermatitis, so if you are really stressed you should try and take lots of time out.
I know how horrible this illness is. It's really frustrating and makes you very very emotional and depressed. I'd really recommend going to a dermatologist and pushing the strong oral antibiotics treatment. It WILL go away with time and with the right treatment, I promise, and one day it will all be a nasty memory. Best of luck to you!!!
OMG hugs to you!
I know all about this horrible condition, I had it in 2005 and I was stuck with it for 5 months until I was (finally) put on the right treatment, and I also had a breakout of it this year but it only lasted a couple of weeks.
You need to go to a dermatologist, not a doctor.
GP's seem to want to treat any rash with steroids (I was sent to about 4 doctors, all gave me steroids, all made it worse).
The proper treatment for perioral dermatitis is usually tetracycline or similar. Your dermatologist might want to try topical antibiotics before tablets, but topical creams tend to be less effective than actually taking antibiotics.
Lifestyle factors can play a role too. My dermatologist told me to stop using fluoride toothpaste (I now use herbal toothpaste that doesn't contain any fluoride). It's important to avoid getting any chemicals or creams on the affected area - whatever you do do NOT try and cover it up with make-up, it makes the rash so much worse.
Also, avoid any foaming facial cleansers. My dermatologist told me to not even clean the area with anything but luke warm water - cleansers, make-up and even hot water can make the rash worse. I now use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, which has no sodium lauryl sulphate (a chemical ingredient which makes stuff 'foam up').
Are you going through or have you recently been through a really stressful time? Stress is what made it break out on me. It sounds silly, but Perioral dermatitis is often a result of being really stressed and run down (as well as a combination of other factors), because stress changes lots of hormone levels in your body and hormones often play a big role in developing perioral dermatitis, so if you are really stressed you should try and take lots of time out.
I know how horrible this illness is. It's really frustrating and makes you very very emotional and depressed. I'd really recommend going to a dermatologist and pushing the strong oral antibiotics treatment. It WILL go away with time and with the right treatment, I promise, and one day it will all be a nasty memory. Best of luck to you!!!
thanks. i went to a second derm. last night, she put me on minocin rather than the doxycycline i was on and gave me a mild steroid to put on it 3-5 days on and 3-5 off to suppress it until the pills kick in. i wanted to switch to the cleanser she gave me but i am so convinced SLS plays a big part in it and it does contain it. so i am switching to the oral antibiotic she gave me (i don't know if doxy or minocin is better for it) and using the mild steroid as she instructed. and she never told me not to put make up on it, but i cannot walk around campus like this. maybe if i was just going to be at work or something around co workers but i am around way too many people during the day to be looking like this. if it takes longer to go away because of it, at least i can hide it somewhat
I don't have any experience with this but during my pregnancies I had to go as natural as possible and had all kinds of skin and hair problems. It really sucked and wreaked havoc on my spirits. I just had to keep a positive outlook.
Hang in there and I am sending you some positive vibes and hugs for a speedy recovery.
Hang in there and I am sending you some positive vibes and hugs for a speedy recovery.
I'm SO sorry you're going through this! I hope you talked with a second derm. and see what they say? Or go to a specialist.
I'm not sure if this will help but you say that the sodium lauryl sulfate (that makes the shampoo sudzy) may contribute to your skin - I know that there are some Redken hair products that don't have as much or any of it in there. When I used Redken products, it rarely suds up. I remembered a stylist telling me that that stuff was also put in floor cleaning products and they dry out hair.
Hope that helps. I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
I'm not sure if this will help but you say that the sodium lauryl sulfate (that makes the shampoo sudzy) may contribute to your skin - I know that there are some Redken hair products that don't have as much or any of it in there. When I used Redken products, it rarely suds up. I remembered a stylist telling me that that stuff was also put in floor cleaning products and they dry out hair.
Hope that helps. I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
my face looks better but i don't know if it's just because of the mild steriod she gave me and if it's going to rebound when i stop using it in a couple days but i sure hope not. i wasn't going to use it at all but i got asked out this weekend by a guy that i have been trying for the past month and a half to go out with, and i don't want to meet up with him for him to see my skin looking a mess 
. i'm ecstatic that we're going out as he's adorable, but i'm praying he likes me!!!! we were supposed to hang out a while ago but it fell through so i'm really really gonna be sad if it happens again.
but as of right now it looks like my face will be clear for the weekend, we'll see what it looks like once i stop using the cream... :s
. i'm ecstatic that we're going out as he's adorable, but i'm praying he likes me!!!! we were supposed to hang out a while ago but it fell through so i'm really really gonna be sad if it happens again.but as of right now it looks like my face will be clear for the weekend, we'll see what it looks like once i stop using the cream... :s
That's terrible! I don't have any advice, but just want to wish you so much luck and that it clears up in no time!
There are plenty of good products that don't use SLS. Go to whole foods or a similar health food store to find great natural hair, skin and make up products. I personally use Dr. Bronner's castille soap for my body. For a while when I was going chemical free I also stuck to mineral makeup and Dr. Hauschka skin and makeup products. Might be worth a try for you. Good luck!
i have been using something called giovani cosmetics bath bar for my face, it doesn't say there's any SLS in it, and i use their tea tree shampoo which specifically says it's sodium lauryl sulfate free. and the toothpaste i use is fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate free. but i'm still seeing the effects of the cream so if it starts appearing again within the next 2 days i'm just going to have to pray the antibiotics start working...
btw my date was amazing and i am so glad i was able to make my skin problems disappear for at least one night. i want this boy !!! lol.
btw my date was amazing and i am so glad i was able to make my skin problems disappear for at least one night. i want this boy !!! lol.
Vuittonamour, I haven't seen you post for a bit and I worried about you. I came upon this thread and I am feeling just terrible for you. I fought acne well into my 30s and can relate to feeling terrible about your skin. I covered up cystic acne for years...and when I tell my friends they are shocked--either I was a masterful makeup artist or I just had the type of personality that didn't make people notice my face first...who knows. Please smile and know that you are gorgeous no matter what. I only know you through your posts, but I have a pretty good ideat that you are also a very well spoken, intelligent woman.
Let me recommend that you google "natural cure Perioral Dermatitis". I found this on epinions and thought it might help you...they list a site to buy all natural products.
Perioral Dermatitis--Helpful Info
Feb 28 '01
The Bottom Line Perioral Dermatitis can be very embarassing and irritating to most people. This article will help you understand and treat this skin disease with helpful product information.
Perioral dermatitis is something I have been living with for the last 8 years. Only now have I found a way to suppress this disease. With little or no help from my doctors, I decided to research this on my own. Good thing I did because I found many helpful facts that have helped me tremendously in the past month.
What is Perioral Dermatitis?
Perioral Dermatitis, quite simply is a disease that affects the skin on the face. It occurs mainly in women between the ages of 20 and 45 years old, but CAN be found on anyone. The disease looks much like acne but the skin is very red underneath and it itches a lot. The blemishes are fluid filled and should not be touched. Extreme temperatures cause flare ups, very cold or very hot. I have found this to be very true. After showers and baths, my chin area will be very red and irritable for a very long time. Perioral Dermatitis is usually found around the mouth, usually the chin area, but can be sometimes located around the eyes as well. Perioral Dermatitis, although not fatal in the least, can be very damaging on ones ego. Expect a lot of depression to set in if you know someone with this disease. (boy do I hate that word!)
What Causes Perioral Dermatitis?
The disease was formerly thought to be caused by fluoride in toothpastes. Only those with hyper sensitive skin should worry about getting Perioral Dermatitis. My skin is VERY sensitive and reacts to the slightest change. The fluoride theory is what I was told 8 years ago and even when I quit using the toothpastes with fluoride, I would still have breakouts. About 2 years ago after another visit with a different dermatologist, he told me that the fluoride theory was wrong, and explained another off the wall cause. I was nursing at the time so I couldnt take the antibiotics needed for treatment, so I was given a light topical steroid to put on my face. That DID suppress it for a while, but when I stopped using the steroid, my face broke up about 10 times worse than before. My face had become addicted (literally) to the steroid. After some research I have done on my own, I found out that what happened to me happens to a lot of others with this particular dermatitis. Steroids are very addicting to the skin and should be used sparingly, if at all. I will get to the treatment in a bit.
The true causes of Perioral Dermatitis were quite startling for me. In fact, the main cause was something that I used EVERY day and was in just about EVERY product that I used to wash!! Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, (SLS) as well as Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS) are the two MAIN contributors to this skin affliction. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is what is added to soaps, shampoos, bubble baths, dish detergents etc... for the lather and suds. Even if I stopped using soap on my face, the chemicals in the shampoo can be dissolved into the scalp, and will still irritate. SLS is something most people appreciate. Without all the bubbles, a lot of people just dont get that clean feeling. I know it took me a while to get used to NOT having the over abundance of suds in my hair or all over my body while bathing. But it was possible, and Ill explain more about that very soon.
Perioral Dermatitis can also be flared up by alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine. Wow...my three favorite things! I have found that since I did not have a very severe case of this skin disease, I was able to still enjoy my spicy foods and caffeine without a flare up.
What Can I Do To Prevent Flare Ups
Stop taking baths and stop brushing your teeth. No, Im just kidding! Really, its very simple. A little more expensive than you might be used to, but its totally worth it if you have Perioral Dermatitis. First you need to find ALL NATURAL skin care products! That means absolutely NO chemicals...and that means no products without anything that you cannot pronounce! Just recently I have found a wonderful website, based out of California that makes all natural products. The address to the site is http://www.californiababy.com. Their products are ALL NATURAL. The main target for their products are babies, children and adults with extra sensitive skin. The products are on the costly side, but they are totally worth it for the results. I first ordered there a small bottle of shampoo to test out the product. That small bottle cost over $8.00 plus shipping. But they sent me a free sample of their wonderful moisturizer called, Calendula Cream. This is a non greasy, all natural skin moisturizer that they claim even has healing effects to patients with eczema. Ive tried it and my skin has never been smoother! I totally recommend their company if you have sensitive skin! They will soon have an oral hygiene product line, and you better believe Ill be there to get whatever I can.
There are MANY different companies like this and they arent that hard to find, but you have to be aware of imitators. Many companies claim to have all natural ingredients, so you have to make sure to at least write and ask for a full list of ingredients before buying or check yourself. I havent had any luck with store bought products so the net has been a major skin care relief for me. Right now I am using California Baby shampoo, body wash and moisturizing cream. To brush my teeth I use baking soda and peroxide and rinse with Listerine. Yes, very very gross and I gag the whole time Im brushing my teeth, but you know what? My face is clearer than it has been in 8 years and I can finally NOT wear makeup and I feel good about myself. My skin is soft and Im happy and full of self confidence when Im talking to someone, not constantly looking at the ground or covering my face.
And yes, there is medication that should be taken as well for this. The main treatment is Tetracycline 2-4 times a day depending on how bad the case is for anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. Perioral Dermatitis can be suppressed and sometimes it goes away and never comes back, but with others its a constant battle of out breaks of itching and dry patchy skin. Much like eczema, Perioral Dermatitis will dry out the skin and make it flake. A very gentle moisturizer IS needed for that. I have even found PURE Aloe to work wonders with healing and dry skin, although the Calendula Cream worked 100% better.
Perioral Dermatitis as well as any other skin disease can be very heart breaking and depressing for the person who has it. If you know anyone who could benefit from this article, please print it out or pass it along. I know Im not the only one who has gone through this kind of embarrassment and even ridicule at times, that is why Im sharing this with you all. Telling about this is not something that is easy for me but I am doing it to possibly help someone else who is as clueless as I once was about this disease. It can be very discouraging and extremely painful to ones self esteem.
I hope I have helped at least ONE person today.
Thanks for reading.
Let me recommend that you google "natural cure Perioral Dermatitis". I found this on epinions and thought it might help you...they list a site to buy all natural products.
Perioral Dermatitis--Helpful Info
Feb 28 '01
The Bottom Line Perioral Dermatitis can be very embarassing and irritating to most people. This article will help you understand and treat this skin disease with helpful product information.
Perioral dermatitis is something I have been living with for the last 8 years. Only now have I found a way to suppress this disease. With little or no help from my doctors, I decided to research this on my own. Good thing I did because I found many helpful facts that have helped me tremendously in the past month.
What is Perioral Dermatitis?
Perioral Dermatitis, quite simply is a disease that affects the skin on the face. It occurs mainly in women between the ages of 20 and 45 years old, but CAN be found on anyone. The disease looks much like acne but the skin is very red underneath and it itches a lot. The blemishes are fluid filled and should not be touched. Extreme temperatures cause flare ups, very cold or very hot. I have found this to be very true. After showers and baths, my chin area will be very red and irritable for a very long time. Perioral Dermatitis is usually found around the mouth, usually the chin area, but can be sometimes located around the eyes as well. Perioral Dermatitis, although not fatal in the least, can be very damaging on ones ego. Expect a lot of depression to set in if you know someone with this disease. (boy do I hate that word!)
What Causes Perioral Dermatitis?
The disease was formerly thought to be caused by fluoride in toothpastes. Only those with hyper sensitive skin should worry about getting Perioral Dermatitis. My skin is VERY sensitive and reacts to the slightest change. The fluoride theory is what I was told 8 years ago and even when I quit using the toothpastes with fluoride, I would still have breakouts. About 2 years ago after another visit with a different dermatologist, he told me that the fluoride theory was wrong, and explained another off the wall cause. I was nursing at the time so I couldnt take the antibiotics needed for treatment, so I was given a light topical steroid to put on my face. That DID suppress it for a while, but when I stopped using the steroid, my face broke up about 10 times worse than before. My face had become addicted (literally) to the steroid. After some research I have done on my own, I found out that what happened to me happens to a lot of others with this particular dermatitis. Steroids are very addicting to the skin and should be used sparingly, if at all. I will get to the treatment in a bit.
The true causes of Perioral Dermatitis were quite startling for me. In fact, the main cause was something that I used EVERY day and was in just about EVERY product that I used to wash!! Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, (SLS) as well as Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS) are the two MAIN contributors to this skin affliction. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is what is added to soaps, shampoos, bubble baths, dish detergents etc... for the lather and suds. Even if I stopped using soap on my face, the chemicals in the shampoo can be dissolved into the scalp, and will still irritate. SLS is something most people appreciate. Without all the bubbles, a lot of people just dont get that clean feeling. I know it took me a while to get used to NOT having the over abundance of suds in my hair or all over my body while bathing. But it was possible, and Ill explain more about that very soon.
Perioral Dermatitis can also be flared up by alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine. Wow...my three favorite things!
I have found that since I did not have a very severe case of this skin disease, I was able to still enjoy my spicy foods and caffeine without a flare up. What Can I Do To Prevent Flare Ups
Stop taking baths and stop brushing your teeth. No, Im just kidding! Really, its very simple. A little more expensive than you might be used to, but its totally worth it if you have Perioral Dermatitis. First you need to find ALL NATURAL skin care products! That means absolutely NO chemicals...and that means no products without anything that you cannot pronounce! Just recently I have found a wonderful website, based out of California that makes all natural products. The address to the site is http://www.californiababy.com. Their products are ALL NATURAL. The main target for their products are babies, children and adults with extra sensitive skin. The products are on the costly side, but they are totally worth it for the results. I first ordered there a small bottle of shampoo to test out the product. That small bottle cost over $8.00 plus shipping. But they sent me a free sample of their wonderful moisturizer called, Calendula Cream. This is a non greasy, all natural skin moisturizer that they claim even has healing effects to patients with eczema. Ive tried it and my skin has never been smoother! I totally recommend their company if you have sensitive skin! They will soon have an oral hygiene product line, and you better believe Ill be there to get whatever I can.
There are MANY different companies like this and they arent that hard to find, but you have to be aware of imitators. Many companies claim to have all natural ingredients, so you have to make sure to at least write and ask for a full list of ingredients before buying or check yourself. I havent had any luck with store bought products so the net has been a major skin care relief for me. Right now I am using California Baby shampoo, body wash and moisturizing cream. To brush my teeth I use baking soda and peroxide and rinse with Listerine. Yes, very very gross and I gag the whole time Im brushing my teeth, but you know what? My face is clearer than it has been in 8 years and I can finally NOT wear makeup and I feel good about myself. My skin is soft and Im happy and full of self confidence when Im talking to someone, not constantly looking at the ground or covering my face.
And yes, there is medication that should be taken as well for this. The main treatment is Tetracycline 2-4 times a day depending on how bad the case is for anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. Perioral Dermatitis can be suppressed and sometimes it goes away and never comes back, but with others its a constant battle of out breaks of itching and dry patchy skin. Much like eczema, Perioral Dermatitis will dry out the skin and make it flake. A very gentle moisturizer IS needed for that. I have even found PURE Aloe to work wonders with healing and dry skin, although the Calendula Cream worked 100% better.
Perioral Dermatitis as well as any other skin disease can be very heart breaking and depressing for the person who has it. If you know anyone who could benefit from this article, please print it out or pass it along. I know Im not the only one who has gone through this kind of embarrassment and even ridicule at times, that is why Im sharing this with you all. Telling about this is not something that is easy for me but I am doing it to possibly help someone else who is as clueless as I once was about this disease. It can be very discouraging and extremely painful to ones self esteem.
I hope I have helped at least ONE person today.
Thanks for reading.
thank you so much for posting this for me, i actually found the article a few weeks back when i was freaking out about this condition.
honestly, i don't even know how it's doing, because i went to a different derm and she prescribed a different antibiotic that i have been having issues remembering to take, and a tiny tube of a mild steroid to suppress the dermatitis until the pills kick in. i don't think they've kicked in and i'm back to using this cream religiously (which i know is probably the wrong thing to do) but right after i went to this derm i was asked out by a guy i had been waiting to hang out with for like 2 months. i had only been talking to him through the internet and phone so he had never seen me in person before and i was so afraid of my face looking like this when i met him that i immediately started using it, when i wasn't even planning on using it at all. i planned to stop after that night, but next thing i know, i adore this guy, and he's asking me out to lunch during the week, and then to go with him to brooklyn to visit his sister and spend the night, and then to see a comedian saturday night...
this was all this past weekend. i have been elated he's been treating me this way because he's ADORABLE and is so sweet to me. the day after i first went out with him he consumed my mind till the moment i finally heard from him around 5pm. yeah, you can imagine that my stomach was in knots wondering if he'd want to see me again.
this is where i have been, and why i have not been posting. lol school, work, hopefully a new boyfriend. this weekend i think we're going to visit my friend up by redbank and then saturday night i think we're doing something too. i know i should stop using this stuff and know that if he likes me he will accept that i have this problem for the time being but it's hard, and i hate looking like that. i feel so much more confident with clear skin...and in the past two weeks, i can't say i have been happier.
a guy like this just gives me that glow. :shame: