17 Effective Natural Treatments for Perioral Dermatitis

Thank goodness for sites like this—saved me from weeks or maybe months of rash agony given the stories I read from others. I had PD for 10 months, but not until last week did I know what it was or that the steroid cream I was prescribed and told over and over to keep using by three different primary care doctors, did I find that natural methods of healing were the answer. I threw away the antibiotic I was prescribed, because I am convinced that it was started this all for me months earlier. I was a series of recurring UTIs, and I had been on several antibiotics because I was being prescribed the wrong type for 3 of 4 infections. I am sure that is what damaged by system and manifested the rash.

Here is what I did:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother (ACV) wiped on the area 2-3x/day—blotting only and treating the rash as though it could spread (not wiping and spreading)
2. Colloidal Silver gel on rash 2x a day
3. Homeopathic Calendula cream very, very lightly at night; I did not start this until a few days of using the two above (not until it was less weepy)

I ingested ACV 1 Tablespoon each night; and gargled with it also
I began a very high probiotic, 42 billion

I also stopped products with SLS, switched to fluoride free toothpaste, and began newton candida homeopathic drops.

Those are the things I did, and in one week's time it is 95% gone. Not noticeable to anyone but me—and a week ago it was extremely painful and very, very unsightly. I was so worried, but am very grateful for the many people sharing what worked and what did not work. I tried Desitin one time; it seemed to soothe but I thought it was very difficult to remove on my fragile, raw rash and left a film that I thought would be more harmful than good. I once did honey on the rash, I don't think it did anything really, but it did feel good.

I wish so much that conventional medicine would incorporate natural methods. I have no doubt that I would have been facing months of prolonged agony without finding these cures. I went cold turkey from the steroid (it was Clobetisol Propeonate that I was prescribed). Shame on my doctors for repeatedly telling me to keep using what was only making it worse over time.

I was a complete beauty product addict until I got a bad case of perioral dermatitis. It started with a small itchy, flaky, red patch on my chin. Seeing the flaky spot, I used more products to exfoliate and moisturize (bad mistake! ) The rash spread like wildfire and I was diagnosed with perioral dermatitis. The doctor suggested 3 months of antibiotics which I declined.

I googled and tried many natural remedies which did not work, some of which frankly made things worse. ( apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, essential oils, manuka honey, colloidal silver etc) . Meanwhile, the rash kept spreading.

Finally, I decided to try the zero therapy approach which I saw on google. No cleansers, no moisturizer, no makeup. Just wash with water. Dermatitis was completely healed after about a month on this method. I am still doing it 5 years later and I love how my skin feels and looks. ( I am 42).

At night, I put distilled water in a little bowl and used 3 cotton pads to clean my face. Pat dry with a clean towel. That's it. In the morning, I would clean my eyes with tap water on a face cloth, but no water on the rest of the face. If I had to go to work and the flakes were too bad, I would use one drop of jojoba oil to sort of glue the flakes in place. That's it.

I went all out and drastically reduced all my other body products as well. I bought natural stuff for the ones I could not do without. ( SLS free shampoo and conditioner, natural toothpaste with no fluoride, natural body soap, and lip balm). Jojoba oil here and there as needed.

I learned I don't need beauty products to be pretty. My skin can take care of itself. My face is healthier and happier when I leave it alone.

I had a small patch of dermatitis appear on my face near my smile line approximately 12 hours after getting salmonella poisoning a couple of weeks ago. I tried a few remedies for perioral dermatitis that I found here like lugol's iodine, colloidal silver and apple cider vinegar, but nothing helped. The remedy would start to dry out the area, but then flaking and new bumps would reappear. Rooting around for something else to try, I found a small tube of silver gel in my medicine cabinet that I had bought about 4 years ago at the pharmacy in the wound aisle for a 2nd degree burn. I applied the gel to the dermatitis and it felt very cooling and soothing immediately, whereas all the other remedies I tried burned like the dickens. I reapplied the gel several times a day and after a few days the funky patch of skin was gone. No more redness even.

I think silver gel might be a more effective method for skin conditions than colloidal silver spray because it is supposed to last up to 3 days per application and definitely keeps the skin hydrated, which a cs spray does not. Hope this helps someone!

TRY THIS!!!! I have been suffering with PD on and off for 5+ years. Nothing has "cured" it. I have been on every drug, tried every ointment, every natural remedy and nothing has actually worked. A couple weeks ago I was at my wits end with my PD and kept noticing that it would be at it's worse right after I would get out of the shower. Most websites say to avoid FLUORIDE if you have PD and switch to a fluoride free toothpaste, but guess what has FLUORIDE in it! OUR WATER!!!

I bought a water pitcher that filters fluoride and have only been drinking that, and getting a cup of it and washing my face with it in the shower, and trying not to get my shower water on it and Oh my gosh I am telling you 50% better than I've been in years! Regular shower filters do not filter out fluoride and shower filters that do are massive and have to sit outside of the shower unless you can filter your whole water system, I live in an apartment so unfortunately I can't do that. TRY DRINKING NOTHING BUT FLUORIDE FREE WATER, MAKE YOUR COFFEE/TEA WITH FLUORIDE FREE WATER. Just try it! It takes a couple weeks to see results but try it!!!! I know in another month or so my PD will be gone, I'll let you guys know!!!!

I have been suffering with perioral dermatitis for 5 years. I have tried everything this website suggests and nothing has worked for me. What does work is vitamin d. I noticed that my dermatitis would go away in the summer. I need about 20-30 minutes a day of full sunshine. My rash would fade in about 2 days after sun exposure. If I forget to get my sun for a few days my rash comes back. Now that it is winter in Canada I have to take vitamin d supplements. I haven't found the right dosage yet to keep the rash at bay, but it has to be a very high dose. I am experimenting with dosage and I am at 2000 mg per day right now. My rash is mild and hardly noticeable. I will keep increasing the dosage and report back. I hope this helps someone else!

I had POD for five months- tried multiple remedies and nothing really worked. Because of the antibiotic properties, I made oregano tea (fresh, organic oregano) and applied it to affected area 3x per day. When it dried I put on a raw, organic honey mask- let it dry then gently wiped it off. My POD was completely gone in three days. I hope this helps someone!!

Years ago my stomach became very sensitive to coffee (thought it was the caffeine) so I switched to decaf coffee. Several weeks later, I got big bumps in and around my mouth. I had them for about 6 months and I had no idea why? I retraced my steps on what I started new in my diet, and had an ah hah moment... decaf coffee. Sure enough, when I stopped drinking it, the bumps slowly went away after about 2-3 weeks.

I sure hope that helps somebody out there!

I have been suffering for 5 years from perial dermatitis. I have tried everything. My aunt gave me some melaleuca oil. I read this could help. I got a 2 oz glass spray bottle and added 8 drops of the oil and then filled the rest with water. All my symptoms disappeared after two days by spraying twice a day as a mist. No applying with a cotton ball. I am happy to say it's been three weeks and I'm still symptom free!! It's worth a try.

For Perioral Dermatits: the trigger is yeast! -Which is in almost everything if you look at the ingredients - Kit Kits, veggie burgers, wine, pastries, chips, etc. Read ingredients! Do not eat any yeast. Please spread this! People think it is gluten, or almonds, or strawberries. It is ingestion of yeast.

My daughter developed a perioral rash at age two. It was persistent for several months. The doctor prescribed Elidel, but I was concerned about using it and she screamed the few times I did put it on her. After noticing that the rash seemed more irritated after brushing teeth, I switched her from a mint flavored tooth paste to bubble gum kids' flavor. Her rash continued, but eventually became intermittent. Once it finally started clearing up, I was able to figure out the second trigger: cinnamon. Abstaining mint and cinnamon has completely eliminated her rash, though it will flare up mildly if she eats something on accident. She has been rash-free for 6 months with no treatment.

Suggestions for managing PERIORAL DERMATITIS:

I've been struggling with perioral dermatitis (PD) on again/off again for years.

I've recently started supplementing with *MICELLIZED* Vitamin A daily (dosage will vary depending on which kind you buy, don't overdo it as you can create toxic levels of Vitamin A build-up in your body. Do your own homework and get professional medical advice if you're unsure) and that is the first thing that seems to actually help heal the PD.

Also, I started taking Pharma GABA to help me with stress management and sleep hygiene and, to my my surprise, I think it has also helped treat the perioral dermatitis. This has me wondering if there is, in deed, a hormonal component to PD.

Best of luck to anyone dealing with this. I feel your pain but I'm hopeful that I'll figure it out and have my face back to normal again.

I have suffered from Perioral dermatitis for years! I just recently realized it is aggravated by tannins. It's at its worst when I try to eat clean. Could also explain why I have digestion issues and struggle to lose weight even when my diet seems so clean!

Sulfur Soap and Castor Oil/Coconut Oil cleansing

I developed the annoying little bumps about four months ago. They started as small bumps on the creases of my mouth and then sure enough migrated to the sides of my mouth (bottom) and the other side of my face. I was sure it was a breakout, so I tried everything I could think of (lavender, tea tree, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, green tea, salt water, manuka honey) but nothing worked, the final straw was when I developed the bumps under my eyes, that's when I knew I was dealing with a form of dermatitis and rosacea. After months of trying one thing after another, none helping at all, I have FINALLY figured out what works for me. I use 10% sulfur soap with vitamin on the dermatitis around my mouth, I don't put any oils or moisturizer on it.

When I started this routine, the bumps nearly cleared 100% within a week/week and a half. The ocular roseasa around my eyes only got worse with the sulfur soap so I use a mixture of castor oil and coconut oil to wash my eyes and the rest of my face (being careful to keep it away from around my mouth!! ), this has cleared it up within a few days. The redness is FINALLY going away around my mouth and the tone of my skin is returning to normal.

My mom also gets this, and she was put on antibiotics, it worked well the first time but it didn't get rid of it for good...I wanted to find a way of keeping it at bay without having to be on antibiotics for months at a time. Not sure if this will work for anyone else, but it's been great for me!

I wanted to share my story because I seem to be having success clearing my PD and rosacea. Like most of the sufferers here I have spent hours upon hours chasing a cure (I have also had acne all my life and I am turning 50 in April). This is what I have learned. I finally broke down and started Ted's Borax remedy because I read how people had had success with it. I also researched Boron supplementation in case I could not tolerate the Borax because that is essentially the element you are getting from the Borax. I am very sensitive to things so, to make a long story short, the Borax was tough for me to tolerate (stomach ache from it), so I have decided to go with the Boron supplements even though they are more expensive (still very reasonable, though).

The Borax was clearly helping my PD so I knew I was on the right track -- now accepting that it was the Demodex mites taking over my face for the past 5 months. I take about 9mg a day of the Boron supplements total (3mg x3/day- trial and error as others may need more or less). I tolerate it well. I also made a solution of Borax and water (just water) to wipe on my face a few times a day. Whenever I added hydrogen peroxide to the borax it was too much for my skin and made it worse. I am totally on my road to recovery after trying every natural remedy available on this website and the web. EVERY ONE - ACV, manuka honey, violet extract, castor oil packs, cocunut oil, pumpkin seed oil, oregano, yogurt, clay, DE, GSE, you name it I tried it. Also gave up every ounce of makeup - natural included. I had noticed that natural lip balms made my lips feel weird. What I have determined about this condition for me is the following:

1) Demodex mites getting out of hand are likely the main problem.2) Boron/Borax are the keys to getting them under control. 3) There is research out there that people with Rosacea and possibly PD have different fatty acids on their skin. I believe this is the key. As I look back, I was using all natural products -- Castor oil, natural lip products, mineral makeup, etc. I believe the coconut/castor/ etc. oils were actually the initial cause of the problem (first I thought it was Titanium Dioxide, mint or mica causing the problem, but I have now narrowed it down to the natural oils). I was getting a better reaction using Dove than any other naturally derived soap which usually included coconut oil, castor oil, or the like. I could also only tolerate petroleum jelly as a lip treatment. I know it is not good for you, but everything else (mainly natural products) caused a reaction. I know everyone is different, but I wanted to pass my experience along.

My face is 90% clear after one week (it takes a long time for the PD to heal but slow and steady with the Borax/Boron and my rosacea is almost non-existant) and I feel my skin is starting to just look wonderful. I could never, ever say that before. I may be the one in a million who is worse using natural products and that is what it is. With regard to makeup, I am watching for castor oil and possibly mineral oil as ingredients that bother me. I don't know as much about mineral oil, but trying to avoid just in case. I just hope this helps someone.

Hello All PD sufferers,

Is this not the most frustrating thing? So I started out with the prescribed clindamycin and steroid...only got worse and spread. I began taking ACV internally and I have been diligently applying ACV directly every hour I am at home. It is kind of hard to get used to but guess what, it is working! I read on another blog that you just have to over dry it like crazy and then it scabs and will eventually go away. I am currently in the flaking phase but it appears to be getting better not worse for once! I have also been taking curcumin internally. I think it may be helping too. I am going to try turmeric mask tonight. I will report back! Good luck to all. All I can say is that modern medicine does not understand this rash and whatever you do, DO NOT USE STEROIDS, ANTIBIOTICS, OR OTHER PRESCRIPTIONS IT JUST COMES BACK WORSE!!!

Hi all. I hope this helps some of you. It has taken me several years to figure out the cause of my Perioral Dermatitis!!

It is most definitely curable and it all starts with cleansing your intestine...period!! I tried all the other methods - GSE, ACV, coco oil, tea tree etc etc. For some these will work as their diet and health are probably fairly good but for others where nothing has helped I would suggest 2 things!!! (and this is important)...first try a gluten free diet. Research into why and you'll see that gluten cannot be digested and also prevents other natural enzymes from breaking down foods, thus build up occurs. Old fecal matter to be exact and it stays along the lining of the intestinal walls, hence why some of these other natural remedies aren't working as they are being blocked from entering the bloodstream. Please just do a little research and it will all make sense.

Second, now that you've minimised blockage you have to cleanse the walls. Here is where the beauty of psyllium husk comes in. This is a high fiber product that gently exfoliates your intestinal walls, look it up! Use it with blackstrap molasses, both available at health food shops. I promise you your skin will look so much better after 1 week. It also doesn't hurt to improve your diet...the usual fruit and veggies is a plus as always. You can find info relating to psyllium online...just look, there's plenty out there.

Good luck to all!!!