redness between nose and mouth, corners of mouth and center of chin

Hello,

I am 21 years old and I have had chronic redness between my nose and mouth (mushtache area), the lower corners of my mouth and on the center of my chin (soul patch spot) for the last 8 years. It never gets to be unbearable, but I would like to fix it as it makes me self-concious.

It NEVER itches, it does flake dead skin when it hasn't been moisturized in a while, it gets worse with wind/cold/dry weather, stress, sweating and chewing gum. It has not spread in the 8+ years I've had it and the red area's borders are clearly defined.

I have dry skin and I apply Cetaphil daily to my entire face including the affected regions, especially after showering. Previous dermatologist diagnosed eczema and I've been using Elidel for a while with no results. I took acutane 6 years ago for 5 months for severe acne after several other treatments failed if that's relevant.

I don't know what this is or how to treat it and neither do my dermos!

Thanks for any help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Three possibilities are coming to my mind. Firstly, accutane is notorious for causing dry and peeling skin after treatment also. Second possibility is eczema which is a form of dermatitis. Third possibility is of seborrheic dermatitis. The mainstay of management is liberal use of moisturizers after washing with luke warm water. Soap should be used minimally. Moisturizers should be reapplied liberally during the day. Adding a humidifier to the central heating system of your home or using a humidifier also helps.

If the symptoms persist then please get it evaluated from a dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.