[YEA]  11/02/2011: Kris from Santa Maria, Ca: "I recently had a severe case of Perioral Dermatitis pop up on my skin - I mean severe! My friends said I looked like I had a rash goatee and when it got even worse I couldn't even go outside due to embarrassment! It was bad. I tried washing my face with just water like some suggested for a couple of weeks. Didn't help. Then added ACV after the wash. Helped a bit, but the rash was always lurking, waiting to attack my face again!! I started to cleanse my face with a Neutrogena Facial Bar which actually helped a little more but my face was still being pestered by these darn red bumps. I thought the cycle would never end, until I caught a cold. I used a little Vicks VapoRub around my nose to clear the snotty (ew) congestion. The next morning that part of my face was clear of PD! What?! ? So I looked online and sure enough Vicks has been used for all kinds of ailments of the skin. From dermatitis to toe fungus. And it WORKS!! I just wash my face with my Neutrogena Bar, pat dry and apply a bit of Vicks before bed! Voila! Sounds crazy, but it's true!"

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  08/09/2011: Sarah from Denver, Colorado: "I am 32 and have never had perioral dermatitis until 2 months ago.

I went to two dermatologists. The first presribed clindamycin (sp?) topical antibacterial and a topical steriod. The second told me the steroid was the worst idea EVER and to immediately stop using it, but to continue the antibacterial! I also had a random and unrelated rash on my upper chest and the dermatologist told me to soak a washcloth in 1 part distilled white vinegar to 10 parts water and let it sit on my chest for about 10 minutes to clear that one up.

The rash on my chest went away immediately, but my face was getting worse and spreading. I decided that since my face rash wasn't going away, what could it possibly hurt to try the vinegar trick?

I dipped a cotton ball in the 1:10 solution and wiped my PD gently with it. Let it dry for about 10 minutes, then rinsed my face (cleanser for the rest of my face, just the water for around my nose). I then used mosturizer on my face except for on my rash. (Cetaphil facewash and moisturizer)

The next morning I was ASTONISHED at how much the bumpiness had gone down. Did the same thing in the a.m and p.m. for 2 days and had about 60% improvement. Even the redness went down! My friends noticed an immediate difference.

I have read much about Apple Cider Vinegar, but I just used plain old distilled vinegar."

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  12/11/2012: Catherine from Southampton, New York: "This is my third post on Earth clinic on Perioral Dermatitis. I have been battling it for 6 years. As I had posted previously I was managing it by working to stay away from chocolate and sugar and trying to eat a green diet but recently had another bad flare (just after halloween! Had a few moments of weakness)

I discovered on another site people having success with violet extract. I got it on Amazon immediately. I put a few drops on the area and rub it in with my fingers. I have no side effects and it's starting to work. I noticed it works best when applied a few times a day. Its a little brown tincture with a light odor that goes away in a few minutes.

The first few days if the spot got dry and scaly I would use the Calendula cream.

I only started the violet extract a week ago so my problem is not gone yet, but it is much improved! I have high hopes. Will keep you all posted."

[YEA]  08/27/2011: Ruchika from Eagan, Minnesota: "from past 8 months, Since I moved to MN I started having breakouts on my chin and uperlip areas, first few months I took it as since I moved to new places might be my skin is taking time to adjust as I have very sensitive skin but after sometime I releaized that why these breakouts are on my uperlips and chin area only as soon as one breakouts starts diappearing, not later another 2-3 are start popping out so, I never gets clear then when I googled for my problem I found that these are symptoms of perioral dermatitis and based on people review I stopped immediately using any chemical products on my face, stopped sugar completely, eat organic yoghurt and start drinking shots of apple cider vinegar and applied on face but in a week I noticed that it is not helping me at all.

Then on further reading I found that one guy tried applying yoghurt on face and sleeping with it on so I gave a try for 3-4 days applying and sleeping it on and eating organic yoghurt 2 times in a day and acidophilius 2 times, in just 3-4 days I releaized that my redness is fading a lot and no more new breakouts on chin and upperlips during that time I had stooped eating grain ( Indian chappati) and on rice after a week people start saying me it is gone but at the same moment I start again eating Indian chappati as I am Indian and I have been on this food since childhood then perioral dermatitis is back on cheeks and around eyes areas. My guess is that somehow whole grain food is not good for me. Now I am planning to stop eating Honey bunches and Indian chappati and going to observe again in an week that if that is the major cause. Still I am applying yoghurt on face and it is the only rescue for me. I will post soon whether stopping honey bunches and indian chappati is really the problem for me or not.

I would really like to thank all the people posting their experience and it really helped to find solution for my problem. I would say for anyone if nothing works try sleeping with yoghurt on your face."

[YEA]  02/10/2013: Kara from Central, Illinois: "First off, thanks to all the commenters for sharing their experiences and solutions. The community has been a lifesaver for me!

Had a rash on my face, caused by stress, sunscreen and who knows what. I was diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis and given steroid cream, which cleared it up a lot. Until it didn't. My face was a hot mess. Went back and dermatologist said, "whoops, not seb. Derm., it's perioral dermititis. " Was told to take 6 weeks of oral antibiotics and given new steroid cream.

Thank goodness I found this site before filling Rx! I believe my real diagnosis was an acute reaction to the first steriod cream and perioral dermatitis. I did some research on the effects of prolonged steroid cream and my skin looked like the pictures on those sites. Unfortunately, I didn't taper off the steroid cream, I just stopped it. This made my skin explode. My recommendation is to taper it off or let it explode, but don't put anything harsh on it, such as the ACV or GSE when it's angry.

Once it calmed (a few days of painful, angry skin that itched like mad--putting anything on it made it worse) I started with the diluted ACV and GSE on the rash, and calendula cream. I also took ACV and GSE orally. This helped things a little, but what really calmed things down was diaper rash cream (which I read about here!). First I started with cream with 16% zinc, but found a common brand in USA that had 40% zinc, and also had cod liver oil in it.

This diaper cream was a life-saver! I put it on at night--my kids told me I looked like Joker from Batman--and slept with towel on pillow. Stung a little at first. Next morning, the change was remarkable. Used the 40% zinc stuff for 10 days, along with ACV, GSE, and calendula. Then went back down to the lower zinc cream (the 40% is hard to clean off in morning before work--the calendula cream helped get the white off best). I have had slight flares of itchy bumps--feels like the last gasps of the problem--which I apply the 40% zinc to and they have subsided.

All told, it's been 4 weeks and a day and my bumps are gone. The redness has been cut about 80%. Hoping that goes away soon. My skin has been dry and flaky, but lots of calendula cream has helped that,

Good luck--don't believe the negativity out on the general internet that this can't be solved. It can and pretty soon, your natural defenses will work with these natural solutions and return you to good health. Best of luck to you!"

11/03/2011: Shaun from York, Uk replies: "Don't suffer with the remaining 30%. Just apply 'Milk of Magnesia'. You will literally be amazed at the results!"

11/03/2011: Tom from Arlington, Tx, Usa replies: "Camille, relief is on the way, just get you some virgin coconut oil and take at least 3 tablespoons per day & then use some to massage into you skin, this way you attack the problem from both sides. if you do this it will work and quickly I imagine. Let me know, Tom"

11/03/2011: Debbie from Melbourne, Australia replies: "If the dermatitis is in fact yeast growing on the outside of the skin, no doubt your body is infested with candida and the dermatitis is the yeast escaping through the skin. You need to kill the candida. Coconut oil will help (as will probiotics and raw garlic) but you really need iodine because it is a deficiency of iodine that causes the yeast to be able to spread undeterred. If your body has enough iodine the yeast won't be able to spread in the first place."

11/04/2011: Kitty from Melbourne, Australia replies: "I have some form of dermatitis and over the past couple of weeks I have been experimenting with zinc oxide. I notice some improvement for a few days after using it. Then I take a break and I start having problems again. So I'm pretty sure it does the trick ;)

I totally distrust doctors too after I've had terrible wrong diagnosis, adverse reactions to medications, etc. In fact I saw doctors, dermatologists, skin specialists, you name it for what was going on with my skin and none of them could diagnose it! I was told maybe rosacea, maybe acne rosacea - I knew it wasn't any of those things because my trigger was washing my face! Washing my face with tap water that is loaded with chlorine and fluoride was causing my face to be totally sensitized and painful, it would be bright red, dry, flaky, scaly, peeling and with bumpy pustules! Duh, it was washing that caused it and none of these medical twits could work out it was dermatitis! I'm sure the medical fraternity love all of the chemicals dumped into the drinking water because it causes so many dermal and internal health issues and they make loads of money out of treating us for these conditions!"

12/06/2011: Farmer Rose from Athens, Ga, Usa replies: "I got rid of my perioral dermatitis thanks to finding & reading this site!!! My skin doctor gave me a cortizone cream for a rash on my body & a few monhs later the rash was gone but a new one had started on my face!! I started drinking ACV regularly, & I used a mixture topically of first, Calendula gel, then Home Health's Rose Almond Oil and topped it off with a layer of Balmex, which is basically zinc oxide. The doctor told me it could take a year to heal and I was healed in 2 months. After a year or so using the Balmex I started to break out in a little acne. That was my skin telling me, your pores are fixed, you don't need to clog them anymore with this heavy zinc cream... So now I only use the Balmex when my skin feels very dry or chapped. Thank you so much earth clinic!! I'll never go to a skin doctor again! You changed my life!!"

12/06/2011: Farmer Rose from Athens, Ga, Usa replies: "Oh & I forgot to say I stopped using Fluoride toothpaste as well!! That was several years ago & I haven't been sick since. Goodbye Dermatitis & Goodbye Govt. Regulated poisonous chemicals!! I'm done!"