What is perioral dermatitis?
Perioral dermatitis is a fairly common skin condition that primarily affects young women, but can affect any gender. This is typically a chronic condition with redness, small bumps (papules), and tenderness surrounding the mouth, that is not contagious.
What causes perioral dermatitis? 
Unfortunately the exact causes of perioral dermatitis are not 100% understood. Many reported causes include: overuse or long-term use of topical steroids, yeast overgrowth, sensitivity to cosmetics such as sunscreen, or fluoride-containing toothpastes. Some studies have linked perioral dermatitis to hormonal causes or associated it with illnesses like Crohn’s disease.
How is perioral dermatitis treated?
Because there does not seem to be one single cause of perioral dermatitis, treatment must be tailored to the individual patient and the most likely cause. For example, if you are currently using topical steroids on your face, your physician may have you stop using them. Your physician may recommend antibiotics if the cause is believed to be infectious or recommend barrier repair products if the cause is believed to be dysfunction of the skin barrier. You may also be asked to discontinue application of all topical products you are currently using, and replace them with emollient products without additives or preservative. Once recovered, you can slowly introduce products one at a time, to determine if the dermatitis was caused by a product. It is important to understand that even with treatment, perioral dermatitis may take weeks or months to fully recover, and you may experience recurrence of your symptoms.
