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Can Dr. Stoll or someone please offer advice? I am 46 and have had problems with breakouts for the last few years. I assumed it was hormonal related. I had a problem with adult acne about 20 years ago and the dermatologist cleared it up pretty easily. At that time I was going through a lot of major stress. This past Sat. I saw a new enesthetician (sp?) for a waxing and she told me I had contact dermatitis and so I went to a new dermatologist Tues. He diagnosed perioral dermatitis. I do think this is a new condition for me, on top of the acne problems I have been having. I have small red bumps mostly around my mouth and nose and some small whiteheads--my lips are very cracked and the area around my mouth burns and itches. Since I am alergic to sulpha (sp?) the doc said it was dificult to prescribe something but finally prescribed dynacin, a minocycline. I told him I was leaving on a cruise this Sun. I researched the minocycline on the web and it says not to use in the sun. My question is should I delay starting the minocycline until after my cruise as the pharmacist suggested or is this going to get even worse without treatment? I have spent about 3 hours researching on this web site and others. I finally found a nonflouride toothpaste--Tom's natural Toothpaste. I am using purpose cleansing by Johnson and Johnson. My dermatologist saw me for 5 minutes and told me nothing, I had many questions, but he just grabbed a bunch of samples for me and left. I will be looking for a new dermatologist when I get back and will continue to research on my own, but in the meantime I would appreciate any advice you may have.
Grateful for Info,
Gina
In Reply to: perioral dermatitis posted by Gina on February 15, 2001 at 23:11:43:
Hi Gina,
Have you tried using the hot compresses? That might work, if there is an infection. The antibiotics can make things worse for you in the long run, and they are not a cure. The toothpaste you need is SLS free, it is not the fluoride that aggravates your problem. I think you have to order that special through an 800 number. Try to look for the cause of your problem, so you can eliminate that, rather than taking antibiotics, that's my advice, hope it helps.
In Reply to: perioral dermatitis posted by Gina on February 15, 2001 at 23:11:43:
Hi, Gina.
Have you seen the archives about this?
Walt
In Reply to: Re: perioral dermatitis posted by Walt Stoll on February 17, 2001 at 11:19:48:
Yes, I have seen and printed the archives. Some questions still remain. Does the sun make it worse? Have to decide if I should take the monocycline...I was concerned that it said not to be in the sun--dificult on a cruise--but I have olive complexion and with sunscreen I should be ok--will try to be sensible about sun and not bake like the old days... I did decide to take the antibiotic, when I had the acne 20 years ago, it did clear up fairly easily with the antibiotic...Do you feel the antibiotic can make it worse?
I agree with your assessment of acne, I do think the cause is stress related and I plan to try to learn more about SR and implement some strategies as well as try to add exercise... I need to look into what you mean by whole food diet, will probably order your book...For past year I have been on an old weight watchers food program, basically I eat the recommended food groups, I have lost 24 lbs. but have not added exercise.
Tried to find non fluoride toothpaste, but bought some and realized it had the SLS. Should have ordered from the toll free number but I leave tomorrow so hope to try to find in stores, maybe a health food store? Will try a search on web.
If one of the causes is flouride, do you recommend buying water, doesn't tap water have flouride in it?
Do you recommend hot compresses? Would this be with hot water, which may have flouride, couldn't that aggravate it? Also read changes in temperature can aggravate skin problems...
Will the recommended toothpaste aggravate gingivitis? I have a lot of tarter and my gums act up when I am under stress, hate to change toothpastes to help my skin only to aggravate my gums?..
Thanks for any tips/recommendations you can provide. I find your site very, very interesting and will be sure to investigate more when I get back...Forgive the rambling, I tend to panic when something like this happens and try to learn as much as possible as fast as possible--further demonstrates my unhealthy stress reactions, right?
Thanks, Gina
In Reply to: Re: perioral dermatitis posted by for Gina on February 16, 2001 at 08:58:35:
Thanks for the follow up. I checked the toothpaste and you were right it did have SLS which it said is from coconut oil. Its all natural so I am surprised this would cause problems. Its too late now to order from toll free because I leave tomorrow but will definitely call when I get back.
As far as hot compresses, couldn't that aggravate the condition? Wouldn't the water have flouride and I read changes in temperature aggravate skin conditions.
I agree with you to look for the cause not treat the symptoms. I will examine my lifestyle re: Dr. Stoll's 3 legged stool-SR, exercise and diet. I know that its time to make changes. In the meantime I don't want to do anything that could be making it worse...
Thanks again for your advice.
Gina
In Reply to: Re: perioral dermatitis posted by gina on February 17, 2001 at 11:48:31:
Hi, Gina.
IF the antibiotic helps the diagnosis is NOT perioral dermatitis. If the sun makes it worse, it is not perioral dermatitis.
Put your questions about the toothpaste to the expert when you call (Dr. Ed Cutler.) I would say that the new paste would help your internal oral health IF it helps the outer since that would mean that you were sensitive to the SLS not only externally but internally as well (Make sense?)
Let us know what you learn.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: perioral dermatitis (Archive.) posted by Walt Stoll on February 19, 2001 at 08:46:04:
Hi. I have been battling this rash on my face for years off and on. The sixth dermatologist I saw, last week, finally seemed to know what was going on with me. Now that I have a name for it, perioral dermatitis, I have been doing some research. I have read and printed all of the information in the archives which have been helpful to me. I bought the toothpaste, shampoo, face and body soap which do not contain SLS. My question, the doctor put me on the antibiotic minocycline, and klaron lotion, along with Desowen which I know is a steroid cream. He wants me to use the Desowen twice a day for two weeks and then stop. He called this "weening" myself off of the steroid cream. I disagree, and am uncomfortable using steroid creams anymore. He told me I have developed this perioral dermatitis from using ster. crems. in the past. Also, I know I have flouride in my tap water. Is this linked as well to my condition? (just wondering because I noticed the toothpaste I picked up without SLS does not contain flouride). How will I know whether these new products which do not contain SLS are helping me, or all of the medicines which I'm on??? Please help me. I am desperate to have my normal complexion back. Also, I found photos of perioral dermatitis somewhere in this site, and cannot figure out where I saw them, how do I get there?
Thanks a lot, Kristen
In Reply to: Re: perioral dermatitis (Archive.)Walt, please.... posted by Kristen on February 27, 2001 at 20:34:34:
Hi, Kristen.
I do not recall seeing the pictures and would like to. I just do not know how to post pictures or I would be doing more of it.
Using cortisone to ween one off using cortisone (especially for a non-life threatening condition like this) makes no sense to me. How come, if you started using the cortisone creams, originally, FOR the rash, does your doc think your rash is due to using them---makes no sense to me.
The only way you can be sure what is working is to stop everything and only vary one thing at a time. The elimination of SLS should start showing results within a month and full results in 6 months.
I do not know about fluorides although some have implicated them in this condition. The only way to be sure is to only alter one thing at a time (although it IS possible for a combination of chemicals to be the cause).
Remember: It takes 4 weeks for your skin to replace itself once the cause is gone.
Let us know what happens.
Walt
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