Help me with my **possible** perioral dermatitis

Skin, nail and hair health
1

Hi Everyone.

I am at my wits end with my skin and wondered if anyone could suggest anything.

About eight months ago I went on a course of antibiotics for a wound that wouldn't heal. It did the trick, but a couple of days after I finished the course I began to get huge flakes of skin coming off each side of my nose and just under it. There was no real redness at first, just extremely flaky skin, which Ive never had before.

This then turned red on one side and was quite sore. This cleared up, but switched to the OTHER side of my nose and this is what I have had ever since.

It has come and gone in various degrees of severity, but generally, it is red and mildly flaky/dry with lots of little bumps which look like acne but never come to a head. Having said that, I have been getting cystic type acne right in the fold of the nose recently.

TREATMENT: I initially googled the problem and concluded it was perorial dermatitis. I didn't want steroids as I know that makes it worse, so I went to the doctor (who didn't know what it was and had to GOOGLE perioral derm!?)who gave me DUAC cream. That helped a bit but it just came back.

I have since been to numerous doctors who have given me everything which I have eventually tried.

I was advised to use an anti fungal cream,so used canesten (without steroid in it). This gave me some kind of allergic reaction and i got eczema all around the area where I used it. To treat this separate condition -ergh) i was prescribed a steroid cream, daktacort, which made the eczema go away but then the PD came back worse and now I'm back to square one.

I'm almost positive its a classic case of PD, and since I tried everything the only option is antibiotics. However, I am EXTREMELY reluctant to take any seeing as it would seem that anti biotics gave me it in the first place! It all started as soon as I finished a course of them, having never had it in my life before.

I have no idea what to do, and would appreciate ANY advice. Apologies for the huge post!

Note: I should also add that I have tried lots of home remedies like coconut oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar which have helped mildly but not gotten rid of it. In the past three months I've also cut out wheat, sugar, dairy and yeast (considering it may be candida overgrowth). I even switched to fluoride free toothpaste. Nothing has gotten rid of it! (except the steroid/anti-fungal, and only temporarily!)

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Hi! I totally understand how you are feeling about your perioral dermatitis. I have been suffering with it for

about five months now. Like you, I did everything to try to avoid taking oral antibiotics, as I know from experience that they do not do good things to my body. I also tried all types of home remedies... apple cider vinegar, yogurt masks, clay masks, and all types of all natural face washes. Some things would help but not cure the problem. However, about five days ago, out of sheer desperation and curiosity, I found some Bacitracin ointment in my drawer and decided it couldn't possibly hurt to try it. Since my face looked so horrible anyway, I just slathered some of the ointment on and went to bed. When I woke up, I thought I was hallucinating.... the rash had drastically decreased in severity. The red bumps were less red and raised, not the mention the oiliness of the ointment had kept the rash from getting so dry overnight. Needless to say, I tried it again the next night. It has been five days, and my rash is almost completely gone. I don't know if it's just a fluke or if these results will even last, but I'm hoping they do. I got online specifically to find somewhere to post this so that others could see it. I have spent so many hours researching remedies for perioral dermatitis, and i just knew I needed to give back. I don't know if the bacitracin will work for you, but if you're desperate like me, I would say give it a shot. Good luck!!!

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Thank you Ladire!

So happy that you have found something that works for you. I really think that it is a case of trying everything, just in case it works. Its so unbelievably frustrating to have something which effects you so much, yet no one really knows what causes it or how to treat it. Its really a case of trial and error. My main problem has been that my GP had never even heard of perioral dermatitis, and just prescribed me whatever he found on google. Very frustrating. It seems that most people get by through their own research!

Unfortunately Bacitracin isn't available here in the UK. I will have to try and find something similar! However, the good news is that my PD has decreased dramatically. I'm not even sure if it was anything I'd used, as I continued moisturing and applying apple cider vinegar and it just kind of decreased over a few days. Its still quite red and dry, but I think it may just be the healing stages (there were times when it was so dry that it cracked aand bled!). There are certainly no bumps or itchiness anymore. So thats great news. I just sort of waited it out, and it seemed to go.

Whatever the case, I know from having this on and off for a year that it may almost be gone, and sort of lay dormant for a couple of months, and then flare up badly again. So I'll bare your advice in mind for a future outbreak! I'm just incredibly happy for it to have gone down at all. Fingers crossed it stays like this in time for Christmas!

Do you have any suspicions about why you may have gotten PD? I know some people say it may be contraceptive pills, or steroid withdrawal. Im interested to know, as it seems it can be caused by many things. I'm almost certain mine was antibiotics. I guess some people are just unlucky!

Really appreciate your advice. Good luck with everything!

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I first started having symptoms of pd about 5-6 years ago but wasn't diagnosed for awhile. Mine started very subtly - just a few bumps here and there around my nose. It wasn't until just before my wedding that I got serious about trying to figure out what it was because it was getting worse and I didn't want to look horrid in the pictures.

In my case I have been on oral steroids for 10.5 years because I have Lupus. I notice whenever I try to decrease my dosage I have a PD flare up. I'm pretty consistently at 10 mg/day but even 7.5 mg will cause the condition to worsen. My dermatologist prescribed a steroid cream and antibiotic combo which worked wonders as long as I was using it. The second I stopped it just EXPLODED all over my face. That outbreak lasted almost 3 weeks and I was miserable and humiliated. It's been over a year and it hasn't been that bad again. Now I'm pregnant - not sure if that's a factor - but I'm having trouble again and this time it's not clearing up.

As far as topical treatments I haven't found one thing that has made a difference long term. It seems like everything works at first and then within 2 days I'm back to square one. Or if the older bumps have smoothed out there are new ones taking their place.

One thing I know without a doubt is fluoride toothpaste and ANYTHING that foams (contains the ingredient SLS) will cause me an immediate outbreak. I have been using Xyliwhite toothpaste for almost a year - honestly I don't recommend it because I don't have that fresh, clean feeling after I brush. Before that I was only using baking soda and water, which also lacked the minty fresh feel, but each time I went to the dentist she would say, "I don't know what you're doing but keep it up! Your teeth look amazing." But if I go to my parents and use their toothpaste I will have new bumps pop up within an hour.

This is my current line of thought: Antibiotics and steroids both cause an increase of yeast in the system. I also have a serious issue with sweets and carbs - which is also a symptom of yeast issues as well as contributes to the problem. I have started attacking the PD with anti-yeast treatments. I've been dousing it with a solution of grapefruit seed extract and water at least 2x daily - 2 drops in about a teaspoon or so of water. (You can also ingest this when diluted, but it tastes like dish soap!!) I do try to swish the extra around my mouth and spit it out, though. I have also been using an over the counter anti-fungal cream. It helps with the dryness/flakiness but I'm not seeing a whole lot of difference as far as new bumps are concerned. I would LOVE to break my carb addiction to see if decreasing the amount of sugar in my system can help the problem. But that's a lifetime issue I'm dealing with slowly. I have been overeating with my pregnancy, so, again, the carbs/yeast may be a factor.

Best of luck to you! I know how frustrating this is. I've never had issues with my skin and have always been told what a wonderful complexion I have. So I am just devastated over this. I don't wear a lot of make up or fuss with my face much, so this is all very aggravating.

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Hi Dawn8319!

Thank you so much for such an extensive reply. I'm so glad there are other people to talk to who are going through the same things as I have.

After extensive research and hours at my computer screen, talking to people who have also had perioral dermatitis, I honestly believe that it is caused by different things for different people. There are definitely certain things which seem to trigger it in many people, as well as certain remedies which work for some people. But the treatment is just as ambiguous as the cause-they vary wildly from person to person. I would say though, that it does happen from the inside. I think topical remedies can keep it at bay, or alleviate the symptoms, but not completely get rid of it and often it will just flare up once you stop these topicals (as you have unfortunately experienced!).

That being said, I am so dissapointed with the way that my condition has been treated by doctors. I know that it is hard to determine how to treat it, but my experience, in the UK, was that many doctors hadnt even heard of it let alone diagnosed it! It is SO common, so why isn't it more widely recognised? Even doctors who did recognise it tried to consistently prescribe steroids to treat it, even though I explained that they made it worse. Its a case of trying things from your own research I think.

For me, having tried eliminating many things to try and treat it (toothpastes, wheat, dairy, fermented foods etc) there didn't seem to be any pattern or correlation. Sometimes I would eat badly and the PD would be very mild, and other times I would stick to a strick healthy regime with no 'trigger' foods and it would flare up.

At the moment it is the best it has ever been. In fact, it is almost gone! No bumps, just very mild flaking in the creases of the nose which are barley visible. It is still very red though, but I think that may just be hyperpigmentation from the flakes and bumps which sometimes bled.

The only pattern for me, which might have suggested a trigger for PD, was that it would always be worse around my period. I have read in many places that it may be linked to hormones. That would explain why you have gotten it during pregnancy! I suppose we won't know, but I do believe there is a link between the two.

For us unfortunate ones who suffer with PD, I believe the only options are to either wait for it to eventually disappear, and, if not, to try and curb it with products we have found to work for us, individually. I don't know about you, but I got to a point where I was exhausted with researching miracle 'cures' or triggers for PD and I just sort of accepted that I will never quite know what causes it and will just have to wait it out. And less stress can only be a good thing right? I think stress really shows on your skin, too.

I wish you the best of luck with everything, and really hope you find something that works for you! Congratulations on your pregnancy also......heres hoping the PD dies down when your hormones settle after your little one is born!

Good luck.

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I have written this response three times and it keeps getting deleted! Someone in the world doesn't want me to reply to your post...

Anyway, I totally agree with the concept that there may be different causes for different people. The fact that different solutions seem to work for different people says a lot. I've tried everything I've read and nothing has worked long term for me. Just when I *think* I've found an answer the PD comes back. (For the record I tried the bacitracin ointment the poster above suggested. It seems to help the redness and flaking but I constantly have new pustules forming each day.)

One thing I am convinced of, however, is the theory that this is somehow related to candida/yeast overgrowth. Everyone seems to develop the condition after some sort of course of antibiotics. And I've long suspected I had a systemic yeast problem. The thing that concerns me is I've read blogs and personal accounts of people who are VERY strict about their carb/sugar intake and candida treatments and still battle the PD on some level. I'm assuming this is now a lifelong issue we'll have to deal with in some capacity.

Best of luck to you as well!

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Oh no! Well, glad it posted in the end!

And I completely agree about the candida thing. In fact I'm pretty sure of it. It has never ever happened to me before, but happened as soon as I finished a course of antibiotics which would definitely suggest candida. Some people get thrush, but it would seem that some of us unfortunately get something chronic on our face! I have done a lot of research on the link between PD and candida, and the science is very black and white. Anti biotics are anti- life...they kill the natural gut flora, causing an overproduction of yeast. And yeast infections can surface in many places on the body. One way they manifest is through skin conditions, and something like dermatitis is exactly the thing that yeast causes.

That being said, I'm not sure that anti candida diets really work at starving the yeast and healing the gut from candida. I tried the diet, strictly, for about three months and saw no difference. I've also read on many forums that many have not had success with it in relation to their PD. But I do think it is helpful to avoid the main yeast feeding foods, in the hope that eventually, over years, your flora will be replaced. I was thinking about taking probiotics. Have you had any experience with that?

Through all my research, one thing that I am fascinated with is how different people's bodies react in hugely different ways to anti biotics. I have only had three or four short courses (two weeks) of anti biotics in my entire life, and have unfortunately ended up with PD for almost a year. Yet my boyfriend, who had a condition in his early teenage years which required extensive courses of anti biotics has never had any skin problems or yeast related problems (it would seem). Sometimes it seems very unfair!

I am pleased that I didn't take more anti biotics, as suggested many times by my GP, to cure PD which was caused by them in the first place. If I had, I would dread to think what my PD would be like now! I think my body seems very sensitive to them. If you have to take them, it might be worth trying probiotics alongside the medication you are taking in a bid to help the 'healing' process? What do you think?

Again, thank you so much for your extensive response. It has been comforting to hear other people's experiences and I am positive that PD dissapears over time. Its just a case of being persistent and trying to make it as comfortable as possible.

Oh! And I forgot to mention. Two things which I think helped me a lot was a) using anti fungal soap everyday. In the UK, I got a sulphur soap from Amazon which was only about £4. I know you can get zinc soaps worldwide and they seem to help a lot of people. Might be worth a try! It can be very drying, but I think that drying seems to help PD anyway, as long as you moisturise with something natural afterwards. and b) Putting manuka honey on the affected areas for half an hour or so everyday, sometimes longer. It is antibacterial and keeps the area moisturised without being greasy. It also seemed to dramatically reduce the PD in general.

Good luck!

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Am equally frustrated and puzzled at

Wow. Am sitting here a little stunned at the correlation between antibiotics and PD since I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out why I developed this. I was given antibiotics after a dog bite a few months ago but I've been on antibiotics before and never had an issue. Anyway....I've done tons of research on this and it seems to be happening increasingly often in women as of late who have never had an issue with acne before. Try using Violet Extract.... lots of success stories so I ordered some. Fingers crossed and good luck

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What you have there is me suddenly getting the antibiotic angle in all of this at 6:30 in the morning...forgot to delete.

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I am 47 and have been battling Perioral Dermatitis for 4 months.

I have started the peri menapause and had been trying various forms of HRT.

Middle of August 2013 I decided to treat Menopausal symptoms with Black Cohosh as HRT was not helping.

September I had my first outbreak -just a little bit on one side of my chin and one side of my mouth spots/inflamed skin and blister type spots. I tried to get rid of it myself putting steroid cream on it continually (Bad idea I now know!)

It got worse and worse (experience has now shown me that in my case steroid cream inflames it when PD first comes up, yet seemingly soothes and calms it in latter stages)

I went to GP and he said it was cold sores (which I had never had before) and prescribed me Anti Viral tablets which seemed to work but as said this outbreak was relatively mild.

A month later it flared up again and this time a little worse and again GP gave me Anti Viral tablets and it calmed down but took much longer and all this while I was using steroid cream still, not knowing any better.

A month later almost to the day the same time as my period is due, it flared up again and this time the GP said these cold sores were persistent and I had to have a long course of Anti Viral Tablets to break the cycle.

It sort of helped and I carried on with tablets but it was taking a month or more to get rid of it; and while I was dealing with the last 5 or more spots another flare up would occur regardless of the Anti Viral tablets.

I went to another GP and by this time I was fairly convinced I had PD and he agreed with me and took facial swabs and sent me on my way with Dalacin topical lotion (Antibiotic). This seemed to help a little but the spots kept coming and I felt like the creature from the black lagoon.

When the results of the swabs came back it was neg for virus and Infection and I was told by GP to use nothing at all and stop Dalacin as it clearly wasn't P.D.

Whatever I use seems to help a little but it still has a cycle of behaviour: flare up, increasing in awfulness with new spots everyday (what ever I do) then slowly starts to heal and when I get to the last few spots; which takes about a month, I then get hit by new and worse flare up.

So 17th January it flares again, each time a larger area of my face is affected. See regular GP who says this time it is definitely P.D.

I came away with a month of Lymecycline which I am now taking once a day. I have been told it will take 2 weeks to have significant effect.

My GP does not think hormones play a part but I do as each flare up is a month almost to the day apart. I don't think the black cohosh causes it but the fact my hormones are all over the place is a factor. Some sites I have read seem to think progesterone is a factor- Lord only knows!

I have stopped all steroid creams now fully as I read this makes P.D worse.

My GP says PD is a grey area for GP's and from what I read PD has different causes Infection, viral, fungal or allergy.

This explains perhaps what will work for one does not work for another.

I have stopped all steroid creams and I wonder if hormones have caused a fungal type PD?

I have been referred to a Dermatologist but this will take time for an appointment to come through. I had to beg (and I mean beg) my GP for some Eldel cream as I had read online it might help.

I think GP's are irritated by my online quest for help but where it has gone on for a while and GP has got wrong diagnosis I now lack faith in them.

Things I have tried which help a little:

Washing face in ketoconazole shampoo (some dandruff types) to help kill candida. (Available over the counter in UK)

Clotrimazole cream such as canasten as my face also itches and burns. (Available over the counter in UK)

Letting face dry out washing but not using any cream or moisturiser at all. The theory being that yeast needs moist to thrive. (Pretty uncomfortable though)

Lymecycline which I am currently using will post again when 2 months is up.

Things I intend to try: which others have recommended:

Elidel cream,

Calendula Cream, (available over the counter in UK)

Nixoderm, (I bought mine of Ebay, very cheap)

Neem soap, (I bought mine of EBay, very cheap)

Lemon juice from half of Lemon mixed with teaspoon of Bicarbonate of soda. Apply paste to face, rinse off just before bed.

So I am keeping on with antibiotics. This really does affect one psychologically. I don’t want to leave the house!

I never had acne as a teenager. I will keep posting!

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To Fiona: I have tried violet extract. It's another one of those things (for me, anyway) that worked at first but then just lost it's effect. But everything seems to do this to me. As far as the antibiotics go, I wonder if it has to do with the type of antibiotic you use. I'm one of those people who've basically lived on antibiotics for one reason or another my entire life. But when I think back my PD started after being diagnosed with MRSA back in 2007. I thought the PD was a recurrence of the MRSA at first. Now I'm wondering if the specific antibiotics they gave me to treat it were to blame, or if years of antibiotics lead up to the PD.

Lisa - I wish you luck. I feel like I have tried everything. I totally understand the psychological effects you're talking about. It also seems that everyone who develops this had excellent skin beforehand. I'm wondering if people who've struggled with acne just don't realize this is something different. Regardless it really is horrible. I feel lucky that I'm currently a stay at home mom, but the PD causes me to "stay home" much more often than I should. I have friends who are constantly asking why they haven't seen me, asking me to lunch, etc., but I always seem to have outbreaks and don't want to be seen. Best of luck!

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Thanks Dawn,Well I am up at stupid o clock with burning itching face,which is stopping me from sleeping.

I just found UK Holland & Barrett - Mega Potency Acidophilus Capsules with very good reviews.I think I might try these to restore good bacteria.

Dawn these can be used whilst pregnant as long as you check with doctor first- just a thought.

The Elidel cream has helped I put some on this afternoon and before bed and I can tell there has been an improvement in appearance.However: face is very uncomfortable so we will see

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Dear Lisa and Dawn,

Just came away from the mirror after finding MORE outbreak....yesterday it looked like it was getting better. Really let down about the violet extract...it took me two days to find out where to order it from and I don't even have it yet. Post later with more info after I have a conniption fit.

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Dear Dawn,I so feel for you-It's a bugger isn't it.

I am in midst of 4th horrid flare up. 4 months on,4 flare ups later It all over my lower face,under chin and on forehead,it makes you want to scream!

I keep asking my husband if it looks better and he says yes a bit....but I see the pity in his eyes!

I too have used antibiotics before and never had problem but I did use steroid cream in ignorance before and I have terrible sweet tooth- both things fungal infections love!

The main reason I think it is fungal in my case is that a swab test revealed no bacteria and no infection.To my mind that only leaves allergy or fungal!

I forgot to mention that I have also started antihistamine tablets just to add to the mix.

In my case the Elidel cream is definitely helping, I am 100% sure of it now.

Elidel has only been around since 2002,invented to help itchy skin disorders and to help inflamation.

The new wonder steroid type cream (without being a steroid )

Please post how you get on with the Violet extract- it sounds good.It also claims to help with hysteria,I may order some just for that,as this PD does agitate ones mood some what

I will keep posting...We must find a solution if we keep on..knowledge is power or so they say!

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Lisa, Dawn and Fiona- great to see so many people here sharing their experiences! Keep me updated on what is working for you.

Dawn- I never thought about it that way; that it might be the type of antibiotic. It does sound reasonable and would explain the mystery of it. That also gives me hope; I would always be reluctant to remedy PD with more anti biotics, but if we consider it might be the type of anti biotics that matter, then a different type of anti biotic might work in curing something caused by another anti biotic. (Hope that makes sense?!? ha!)

I am so thankful that my PD hasn't come back in a month. This is the longest I have had without it. (Although, there is very very slight flaking which is barely visible in the very folds of my nose. That would suggest it isn't quite gone i suppose...I just hope it eventually disappears!)

Since it has died down, a product that has helped alot which is available in both the US and UK is a cream called Avene Cicalfate. It contains zinc and no irritating alcohol. I have been moisturising the previously affected areas with that and it seems to have worked wonders! I didn't buy it with the knowledge that it helped PD, but in my research since, alot of people say it has helped or even cured theirs. It is a sort of matte finish treatment cream...not too greasy, which I like. Seems to moisturise the area whilst leaving it relatively 'dry' and non greasy. Lisa- it is available at Boots here in the UK for about £7. I think it might be a little more expensive in the US.

I wish all of you ladies the best of luck. It WILL go away. I know exactly how it feels to not want to leave the house because of it. Its such a bloody pain. But it WILL go away.

good luck!

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I have used 2 bottles - the first time I used it I was convinced it was working. I just used the dropper on my face - or a cotton ball. And then I rinsed the inside of my mouth with it - just inside the upper and lower lip. It's mainly grain alcohol, so I don't know if that has something to do with it. I dropped the bottle in the sink and lost half of it and ended up ordering a 2nd bottle. The problem is this last round of PD doesn't seem to be reacting as positively to it. There seem to be so many factors that it's often hard to tell what's actually working.

And Lisa - I KNOW a huge part of my issue is fungal/candida. I have all the symptoms. I just don't even know how to begin breaking myself. It's very much an addiction. I get up every morning looking for something sweet, yet I try not to keep anything like that in the house. When I can't find anything I get very angry.

I did get a travel sized bottle of Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion - just their regular body lotion, I think. I agree with people who've said the best thing to put on it is nothing, just wash with water and leave it. But my problem is I'm biracial and when my skin gets dry it's just so obvious. I had to come up with some kind of moisturizer. The aveeno isn't very "creamy" so to speak, it actually leaves a dry feeling on the skin. And I seem to have cleared up quite a bit. Again, it's hard to say if the lotion is what's actually helping. I was sick over the weekend and didn't eat much so it's also possible I've "starved" the PD for the time being.

I also emailed all the major lotion brands and told them what I'm up against, how much I've spent trying different things, etc. I was *hoping* they'd be willing to send me free samples but I did get coupons from all of them. Somewhat helpful, I guess. I also ordered a few things from Boots to try a few weeks ago, they were back ordered but should be arriving soon. When I ordered Boots (US) was having a great online sale.

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I wasn't going to post anything until I had more information to give but I wanted to let Lisa know that I can really feel how upsetting this is for you. Try to keep your chin up and know that you are in good company....I'm determined to get to the bottom of this! And to Dawn... I had never heard of MRSA so I looked it up and realized how difficult this is for you to figure out as there are so many factors to consider. I don't know if antibiotics is the common denominator because I stopped them long before this happened. But who knows? Anyway...I'll keep plugging along. Has anyone been prescribed doxycycline? I was taking it for ocular rosacea and read that it is another type of antibiotic that treats skin disorders. I'm still waiting for the violet extract to arrive and if that doesn't work then I'm going back on the doxycycline to see if that works. It would be great if I could find a natural remedy but I give up. It's not worth this aggravation. Lots of luck!

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The only sure thing that I know is that it takes 28 days for new skin cells to rise to the surface therefore it stands to reason that it would take that long to see DEFINITE results from any possible remedy. I choose to keep this in mind to have some sort of base idea to go on because the one thing I have learned from this problem is that it doesn't make any sense....healing one minute and inflamed the next

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It's great to find people going through the same thing!

Well I am now at the zingy prickly stage without the heat.I have rather attractive skin shedding going on and feel as if I am leaving a skin trail wherever I go! Thank god for my sense of humour.

I had to answer the door to take delivery of a parcel today and the delivery man stared at my face and I felt toe curlingly embarrassed !

I have kept on with the antibiotics despite my thoughts on fungal cause.

I asked my GP again why antibiotics if swab shows no infection and he said 'We don't know why antibiotics work on PD we just know they do'

As previously mentioned my PD occurs every month almost to the day and follows a pattern of behaviour.

This pattern of behaviour has changed but is it the antibiotics or another product I have tried? I am not sure.

Normally the spots keep coming and coming for about 2 weeks and although some will sort of heal there is always more (too man to count) to take its place.

This current flareup started on 17th Jan and the spots have stopped coming.I still have a good amount and they are dry, red, and flakey.My face also swelled a little and my lips felt weird and I found it was hard not to dribble....Gross!

The Elidel does make ones face feel worse but.....

The Elidel cream most definitely has helped.

I am putting this on twice a day.I am also using Calendula Cream, as a mouistriser but only on my chin and cheeks as spots get greasier (I feel) as they go up) asopposed to the bottom of my face which is like desert it's so dry!

This is only cream that has not stung.I used Aqueous and Cetaphil previously and they stung on application.

It is interesting Dawn what you say about the 28 day cycle of skin.This fits with my monthly bouts of PD,does this have correlation with hormone link I wonder?

20

It was me, Fiona that mentioned the 28 day cycle and I really do think that it has something to do with it. Especially considering the menstrual cycle. Anyway, I have been doing the oil cleansing method and have had wonderful results so far. I am tentative about this but there is no mistaking the difference. The crusting and inflamation have gone. It is still a bit red but I can't complain considering how it felt before. There have been horror stories about OCM but I am convinced it has to do with making SURE that you rinse all of the oil off around the chin and hairline. I don't think I did it properly at first and I did start a tiny pimple. I'm having great results since rinsing more carefully. You should do your own research but it makes sense to me that drying out the skin using alcohol based products would cause a surge of oil of production in the skin afterward to compensate, I looked up Calendula Cream and some do have alcohol. I am still waiting for the violet extract to arrive but in the meantime, using the oil cleansing has had dramatic results. Hope it lasts!