The Not So Pretty Face of Perioral Dermatitis

The condition called Perioral dermatitis or POD is a persistent papulopustular and eczematous dermatitis usually affecting the face around the area of the mouth. The affliction commonly occurs in women aged twenty to forty-five but a variant occurs in children. The lesion features of the perioral dermatitis resemble those of rosacea. The disease can occur due to naive use topical steroids for minor skin alterations of the face. The perioral dermatitis is limited to the skin and is not life threatening. However, people suffering from the disease may develop emotional complications.

Symptoms and Causes of Perioral Dermatitis

People suffering from the condition may experience a sensation of burning and tension during the beginning of the disease. Periroal dermatitis does not normally evoke pruritus due to the rarity of itching. The lesions of the skin can occur as a group of follicular reddish papules, vesicles with papules and pustules on an erythematous base. The papules are located around the mouth though the lesions can also be found in the fold between the nose and mouth and the side portions of the lower eyelids. In the severe variant of perioral dermatitis called lupuslike, the disease's infiltrates appear yellowish.

In people suffering from the disease, the basic cause cannot be detected. However, the innocent use of the topical steroids usually precedes perioral dermatitis. There are causative factors in the form of fluorinated toothpaste, skin care creams or ointments containing petrolatum or paraffin, which usually develop perioral dermatitis. There are studies conducted showing that the application of foundation in addition to moisturizer and night cream can increase the risk of perioral dermatitis thirteen-fold.

POD is also worsened by continuous exposure to UV light, heat and wind. There are microbiological factors that have been found in cultured lesions including specific species of Candida, the bacteria spirilla and other fungi.

Medical Care for Perioral Dermatitis

Care for perioral dermatitis includes the systemic or topical therapies. The PDT or photodynamic therapy has also been proven to be effective against the disease until recently. The treatment applied for the ailments must be adapted depending on the severity and extension of the disease. There should also be reassurance and education regarding the possible underlying factors and the time course of the disease. These are important in helping patients to cope with the disfiguring characteristic of the disease. Additionally, the measures would help them minimize the risk of recurrences.

Consulting a dermatologist is also advised to evaluate the factors and to determine the treatment that can be applied for the perioral dermatitis. Substances that expand dermal blood vessels must also be avoided. These substances may include alcoholic beverages and spicy dishes. The physical activity of people suffering from the disease is not limited but strenuous physical exercises may worsen the condition. This is due to the occurrence of vasodilation of dermal vessels during such activities.

Slow Treatment with Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral Dermatitis is a very common skin rash which affects young women. The rash develops around the mouth and it appears on the chin, cheeks and the nose. It appears like acne, but there are often lumps on the skin appearing one next to the other.

Steroids

Often topical steroids are used temporarily to clear a mild patch of perioral dermatitis. The rash often clears, only to reappear again as soon as the steroids are stopped.

Drug Groups

The Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis belongs to the tetracycline group and is an antibiotic tablet. In milder cases topical antibiotics are used. The treatment lasts normally six to twelve weeks, as this is the normal course of any Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis.

Treatment

For the first few weeks there may be no noticeable improvement during the treatment. But within two months after starting the Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis, there is definitely an improvement. Therefore, you must be patient if an antibiotic has been prescribed by your doctor, because the results appear only after two weeks.

It is, however not clear how antibiotics work when the patient has contracted perioral dermatitis. But it is known that tetracyclines and some other antibiotics help in reducing inflammation and also kill bacteria, hence it is very effective.

The doses of the Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis are taken in decreasing order. Sometimes topical antibacterial creams and lotions are also used to give the patient immediate relief. In order to prevent recurrence, they can be continued for a longer period of time.

Other oral antibiotics may be required if the case is severe. These are doxycycline, minocycline or erythromycin. If the infection is milder or if the patient is pregnant, topical antibiotic creams may be used.

Side-Effects

The use of a Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis may be effective for the treatment of the dermatitis, but it can have some side effects like nausea, vomiting and phototoxicity. That is why children below eight years of age should not be treated with these antibiotics. Often, patients with perioral dermatitis have high skin sensitivity and topical medications may not be suitable for them.

Other Methods

Besides these limitations, there are patients who are reluctant to take any Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis. Hence a safe and effective treatment for it has been found that might help to eliminate or reduce the need to consume antibiotics. The photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid is one of the solutions.

Some contraindications against the Topical Antibiotic for Perioral Dermatitis have been listed out by the doctors. Many of the antibiotics are not recommended for smaller children because it documents hypersensitivity and even severe hepatic dysfunction.