Perioral Dermatitis Could Be the Reason for Breakouts Around Your Mouth

No matter how much you baby your skin, sometimes things just pop up—like bumps, dryness, and redness. All of those issues can be signs of perioral dermatitis, a common skin condition that appears as a rash around your mouth, nose, and sometimes near your eyes. Here comes the rough part: “It can be scaly and uncomfortable,” Rebecca Dufner, MD, board-certified dermatologist and director of digital health and clinical innovation at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, tells SELF. “And there are a lot of triggers and causes.”

Using a topical steroid on your face is a common one, but perioral dermatitis can also show up if you’re using thick or oily skin care products, over-exfoliating, or going through hormonal changes, Dr. Dufner says. “It’s often associated with burning and itching, and it can be pretty persistent,” Arielle Nagler, MD, board-certified dermatologist at NYU Langone in New York City, tells SELF—so treating it ASAP is key.

The good news: You can manage perioral dermatitis with over-the-counter treatments, as long as you know which ingredients to look out for (and which to avoid). Lucky for you, we did the legwork by asking dermatologists to recommend the best skin care products for perioral dermatitis, including gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers. All you need to do now is add them to your cart.

1. Kate Somerville EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser, $44
2. The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%, $12
3. La Roche Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 50, $40
4. Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask, $350

A few swaps in your routine can make a big difference.

Any time your skin is angry, you want to swap out any potentially irritating products with gentler ones. That starts with your face wash—the first product in your routine. Amy Huang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the Medical Office of Manhattan in New York, recommends Cerave’s Foaming Facial Cleanser. It removes excess oil and leftover makeup with mild surfactants while hydrating your skin with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and niacinamide.

Still dealing with symptoms? All of the dermatologists we spoke with recommended trying a sulfur-based face wash next. Dr. Dufner likes Joesoef’s Anti-Acne Soap, a budget-friendly option that contains 10% sulfur to tackle perioral dermatitis, acne, and clogged pores.

Not into bar soap? Try Kate Somerville’s EradiKate 3% Sulfur Daily Foaming Cleanser. Its star ingredients are sulfur, honey, and oat extracts—all of which will majorly soothe your skin.

If you’re using a sulfur wash to treat your perioral dermatitis, stick with a sensitive skin-friendly moisturizer. Vanicream’s Moisturizing Cream is a classic option with a formula that’s free from potential irritants. It’s also one SELF editor’s go-to: “I've been using Vanicream for years as my a.m. and p.m. moisturizer. It’s the perfect weight (not too light, not too heavy) and seals in moisture without pilling underneath my other skin care or makeup,” she says.

To address inflammation, Dr. Huang recommends Skinfix’s Eczema+ Dermatitis Relief Balm. It’s formulated for eczema—the hero ingredients are colloidal oatmeal, which will soothe skin, and ceramides, which work to repair the moisture barrier.

Azelaic acid is another active ingredient you can try in addition to (or instead of) sulfur, Dr. Dufner says. Its antibacterial properties make it great for preventing acne and calming inflammation. Dr. Dufner recommends picking up The Ordinary’s Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%. This cream is gentle enough to use day and night—plus, it’s lightweight, to give your skin a break from heavier creams, she says.

Don’t forget about sunscreen! Your skin still needs protection from UV rays, even when it’s down bad with perioral dermatitis. Chemical sunscreens can be irritating for folks with sensitive skin, so Dr. Dufner recommends trying a mineral one instead. La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 50 is at the top of our list because it’s oil-free—meaning it’s also acne-friendly, Dr. Nagler says.

Biossance’s Squalane + Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 is another great pick for irritated skin from Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical dermatology professor at the Yale School of Medicine and president of the Women’s Dermatologic Society. “It’s particularly good for those of us with melanin-rich skin, as I’ve found it doesn’t leave a white cast,” she previously told SELF.

My personal favorite is InnBeauty Project’s Mineral Sun Glow because it blends in like a dream and leaves my skin looking healthy and glowy. I bought a second tube of it as soon as I ran out—it’s that good.

When your skin is burning or itching, a cooling tool like the Skinny Confidential’s Hot Mess Ice Roller can feel really soothing. Plus, it can help with the inflammation that perioral dermatitis causes, Dr. Dufner says. It’s not a cure, but it’ll feel really satisfying while you wait for your other skin care products to kick in. Trust me—the smooth, icy-cold roller feels incredible on puffy or itchy skin.

Red light therapy can minimize inflammation too, Dr. Dufner adds. I’ve never been consistent with a skin care tool before, but that all changed with Shark’s CryoGlow LED Face Mask—I’m so committed to it that I brought it on a trip to Charleston recently. I love that it doesn’t sit flush to my skin, so the lights aren’t hot, and it has under-eye cooling plates that feel refreshing. But the biggest thing for me: I can actually open my eyes and watch TV or read while I wear it, unlike other masks I’ve tried that felt like they were blinding me.

As you’re shopping, keep an eye out for these key players:

• Sulfur, which is normally found in face washes, can act as a natural anti-inflammatory agent, Dr. Dufner says. It also balances the skin’s microbiota, which keep it strong and healthy.
• Azelaic acid is also known to calm down and prevent inflammation, Dr. Dufner says. The key is to use it in a leave-on treatment, like moisturizer.
• Hyaluronic acid is a hydrating ingredient that can relieve dryness and scaliness you might see during a perioral dermatitis flare-up.
• Glycerin is a humectant that attracts and pulls water into the skin, to stop it from drying out.
• Ceramides help your skin stay moisturized and protect the skin barrier.

While you’re reading the ingredients list, dermatologists recommend checking to make sure the product you’re looking at is free of potential irritants like fragrance and essential oils. Also, avoid salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide; these ingredients can be great for acne, but they’re too harsh for perioral dermatitis, Dr. Dufner says. And skip occlusive products like Vaseline or similar thick creams—they’ll be too heavy on the skin and can clog your pores, she adds.

Related:

• 13 Hydrating, Smoothing Eye Creams for Mature Skin
• 11 Retinol Serums We Rely on for Smooth, Glowy Skin
• Finally, a Face Wash That Won’t Make Your Eczema Angry AF

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