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Perioral dermatitis
Finding and treating the cause of redness and a fine rash around the mouth.
Redness and a fine rash around the mouth are often seen as just a “skin problem”. Yet this may be perioral dermatitis. The rash appears around the mouth, sometimes beside the nostrils and around the eyes, while a thin clear strip remains along the lip line.
What can cause it
- Long-term self-treatment with steroid creams
- Heavy, rich creams and too many cosmetic products
- Fluoride toothpastes
- Hormonal changes and a weakened skin barrier
Treatment
Treatment is tailored to each patient and takes patience. Often the first step is to simplify your skincare: we drop many products and keep only the essentials. After that I prescribe topical or oral treatment. Stopping a steroid cream abruptly can temporarily make the rash worse, so this should be done under a doctor’s supervision.