Perioral Dermatitis

The last 12 hours has been a research spurt on personal dermatitis. I have an old post on it but because it’s been a recurring issue for me and it’s been a few years since I went through TSW, I figured that there’s probably new information and blog posts from others who have healed. Here’s what I’ve learned:

Perioral dermatitis is caused by a number of things, but it comes down to ph balance on the skin and balanced flora. Things that have worked for people. Please research into these further for yourself. This is simply an accumulation of suggestions.

Flora control; topical:

 

1. Colloidal Silver
2. Clotrimotizole
3. Alum powder
4. Manuka Honey
5. Lotrimin

Flora replenishment; topical:

1. ANDALOU Naturals Probiotic + C Renewal Cream
2. Genestra HMP Candigen Cream
3. Probiotic Action Sprayable Probiotic
4. LiviaOne Topical Spray Probiotics
5. Dermatic

Ph level control; topical:

• Avoid over moisturizing.
  • While this seems counterintuitive when I want to take care of my skin, too much moisture on top of the skin is counterproductive. Fungus and bacteria like moisture.
  • Avoid having heavy moisturizer sitting on top of the rash. Focus on hydrating UNDER and WITHIN the skin.
  • My suggestions: Use thinner moisturizers that actually soaks into your skin. Multiple reapplications throughout are okay since you’ll actually need more lotion to achieve the same “I’m really doing something for my skin here” feeling that we get when we’re plastered in heavy moisturizers.
  • Moral of the lesson: Treat skin depending on its current condition. We might think that all of our skin should be treated equally with the same moisturizer all over, give it a second thought about what you know (or can find out) about how bacteria, ph levels and skin interact. Also, you can treat the same patches of skin differently as you see improvement. Play around with varying lotions, creams, etc.
  • “It is believed that in individuals with constitutionally dry skin, the overuse of moisturizers causes the surface of the skin (the horny layer) to be constantly artificially hydrated, thus affecting this layer’s ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria. “That rash around your mouth”. Zi Zai Dermatology.

Diet: 

While it’s important to treat skin conditions on the outside, it’s equally important to treat them on the inside. Figure out your food intolerances. Ask your doctor about testing for food intolerances, which is a completely different test from food allergy testing. Though there is some controversy about how accurate this testing is, it isn’t harmful to see what comes up, so that you have a place to start.

I will be doing an Elimination Diet very soon. Elimination diets are the best way to home in on what your body reacts to. Thinking about doing this diet has been overwhelming for me while in school, so instead the next best thing for the time being is minimizing the food stuffs that I already know I react to (i.e. sugar, histamine rich foods like fermented food, vinegars, soy sauce, soy-based products, nightshades), and common food allergens (i.e., dairy, gluten).

 

I will be be trying some of these things a couple weeks at a time to see what things have the greatest effect. Expect an update!

A different kind of healing

It’s been years since I went through TSW. I healed, surprisingly because I wasn’t sure how and when. But it happened. Slowly. My skin reflected healing on the inside — my worn out adrenals rebounding from its reliance on strong corticosteroids. But I could finally wear short sleeves and summer dresses because I was comfortable in my own skin again. I started working a bit, got promoted, and worked for a year. That time was healing for me. The people I met and healing I saw was encouraging. Until one day, I no longer noticed dry creased elephant skin. It was bright and vibrant again.

That was three years ago. And for different reasons, my skin has taken a turn for the worse. Unrelated to corticosteroids. I’ve always been a intensely sensitive person. Emotionally, my skin started flaring up again. First, in small amounts and now mostly on the upper part of my body. Two and a half years have passed. I’ve seen my skin do some weird things. And like everyone else who experiences moderate to severe eczema, it has been emotionally debilitating. But I’m writing again because the first time in a long time, I’ve seen a glimpse of improvement. It felt like 4 steps forward. And although I’ve taken 2 steps back tonight, seeing quick healing gives me hope and tells me that I know what I have to do. I haven’t written here in a long time despite my continual journey. But here I am, wanting to share my healing story. Because I know it’s going to happen ❤