Perioral Dermatitis

[Kerrie01]

Hello,
   I'm a 21 yr old female. I've got a red rash around my nose and chin that consisted of pimples and raised bumps. When I woke up in the morning and after I washed my face it was very flakey and I could remove the skin with tweezers. It was very itchy and slightly felt like it was burning a little. I went back and forth loads to GPs, who gave me various creams and ointments. I think I had this back in high school and I was prescribed Dalacin T (solution/lotion), which I think cleared it up, but it wasn't as bad as this time. When I went to the doctors I asked for this again, but they gave the solution which I used, but because it's an alcohol base it irritated it more than anything. So I went back.
  They thought that I had seborrheic dermatitis, which she gave me a cream called Nizoral. This made it was worse and very greasy. I went back and they gave me 1% hydrocortisone cream, which made it worse and I stopped using it. I was so fed up by this time and depressed because I lost my confidence so I did a bit of research online and suggested perioral dermatitis. She said it could be and I suggested from this and other websites that doxcycline seemed to worked. I took two of these and had an alergic reaction so I had to go back and they gave another solution called eryzinc. Not that I was suprised, but this didn't work either. So I suggested erythromycin, which I've been on 6 weeks next week.
   The pimples and bumps have gone and smooth skin is left underneath, but it is still red, mainly my nose (although it is better) and it goes even redder when I move my nose so that blood rushes to it. I've got a 3 month prescription for the erythromycin, but I'm worried that the reddness will never go away and I will be left with this outline and everytime I move I will look like this forever!! The texture of the skin when you look at it still looks a litle different to the rest of my skin and I still get a little dry skin on it. It's quite tender still and still feels and looks like renewing skin.
   I also have cysts on my left ovary, which I'm on the pill but they have been giving me pain and I'm awaiting to go to the hopsital to hopefully have they removed. I asked the doctor whether these are connected and he said maybe if it is polycystic ovary syndrome (which I don't seem to display the other symptoms) I've also been suffering from water infections, could these been the cause of the antibiotics I'm on for my face??
  I really need some advice and direction because I'm so worried and self-conscious at the moment and wondering if I'll look like this for good?
Thanks for any help you can give me
Kerrie

[Kerrie01]

I've been on erythromycin oral antibiotics and did seem to work, however I've had and still got other medical problems so I had to stop using them. I did about 6 weeks and have about another 6 weeks to go. I'm going to ask about getting back on them. I know how you feel, I've now got a cold which is making it redder and sore. I've been on antideppresants too because it's making me so unhappy!!

[chelaz]

Hi,
I also have the same problem. About a year ago, my dermatologist diagnosed me with perioral dermatits. It looked really really bad to the point where I did not leave my house at all! I was depressed!! My doctor prescribed so much medications, however, none of them worked.

I'm grateful that it has gotten better, but I have to cover the redness up with foundation which I really wish I didn't have to do.

I hate seeing my dermatologist. He looks at the rash for a second or less then ends up prescribing another cream.

Is there anything else that woud help? I absolutely hate going into the sun because as soon as the sun hits my face, the redness around my mouth begins to flare. In addition, the wind makes my condition worse.

What can I do?? It's been a year now and it's still here?

[chellybeans]

if it is blood vessels and vascular antiobiotics will not cure it. you'll need some sort of laser or cautery type treatment to constrict the blood vessels.

it's hard to say what the bloods they took were for. it seems like the results came back just fine if the doctor said nothing to you.

give it time. it can take up to a year for a scar to fade

[Kerrie01]

if you look at it closely it does look like there a tiny, tiy blood vessles there

[Kerrie01]

My bloods have been taken, but no doctor has mentioned anything. Will it eventually go away? Will the antibiotics I'm on get rid of it?

[Kerrie01]

My bloods have been taken, but no doctor has mentioned anything. Will it eventually go away? Will the antibiotics I'm on get rid of it?

[chellybeans]

the redness may be some temporary scarring. you can try makeup to help with the disoloration. hae your hormone levels been checked? possibly that could be some of your issue. after your rash is healed and you are not experiencing anymore itching/flaking you may try a laser treatment to reduce the redness. it sounds vascular. anytime motion causes redness to rush to the skin it is usually a vascular issue so cream are not able to make that go away.

best of luck

[Kerrie01]

I forget to mention that with the water infections I'm getting I'm on Co-Amoxiclav. I've been on them before (about 3 weeks) which the A and E department gave me because I had to go there as I was in so much pain. I had the diarrhoea with them and have got it this time. I've been getting stomach pains especially when you pressed the area of my intestines and sometimes hold my stomach in. I was wondering whether I'm getting these because of all the tablets (2 x 2 a time erythromycin and 3x a day co-Amoxiclav) I'm on. I've been on pain killers and all sorts of medication for about 3 months so my body hasn't had a break. I'm drinking plenty of water. It's not like a constant pain that I could cry about it, it's just there.
I've had 2 allergic reactions now and 2 water infections in 4 weeks and I'm worried that the doctors will take me off the anitibiotics for my face so I'll be back a sqaure 1.