Perioral Dermatitis and Birth Control Pills

[jennoschmello]

Hello.  On July 10, 2009, I went to a general practitioner for an allergic skin reaction I got to a moisturizer I'd been using for over a year.  The company switched their active sunscreen ingredient from zinc oxide to meradimate, which I'm allergic to.  I was prescribed a Medrol pack, which you already know is an corticosteroid that you take in decreasing doses for a series of six days or more.

At this time I was also on the birth control pill- OrthoTriCyclen Lo for my acne.  I finished the Medrol pack and, in combination with my birth control, I believe I developed Perioral Dermatitis because of this.  As such, I went to my derm on September 10, 2009, who was able to diagnose me and put me on 100mg of Doxy daily and Ziana, a combination clyndamycin/retinoid gel.  Ziana seems to do well with quelling papules that threaten to come to the surface and since I've been on Doxy for less than a week, I have yet to see the benefits of the oral antibiotic.

My question in relation to this post is because I am on birth control, will this impair my chances of getting cured of PD?  My research tells me that hormonal influences from birth control can worsen PD flareups.  I know antibiotics can reduce effectiveness of birth control.  However, I am not sexually active at this time.  Also, should my PD be cured (I am praying this will happen), is there a possibility of it recurring because I'm on birth control?

I would really appreciate an answer to this question as I'm sort of in a quandry.  I have dealt with acne for so many years and now PD?  So frustrating.

Thanks for your time.

Jennoschmello