Apple Cider Vinegar, Colloidal Silver
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.
(Minnesota)
10/25/2016
(Ar)
11/28/2016
The Apple cider Vinegar brings a lot of relief. I have started taking a shot or two of it each day as well. Figured it couldn't hurt. Colloidal Silver gel, which one of these gel brands did you use? There are so many! I went back again to the Derm doc and have a third cream. They do nothing good for me at all. I have been searching for natural remedies. I went for two days with nothing on my face but I had a big meeting and I had to look decent so I applied some steroid cream and it wiped it out.......but I know its only gonna come back worse. I am doing the honey mask and apple cider vinegar 2-3 times a day, but just started that. Was wondering about the cream you were talking about, thought I might add that if I knew which brand to get.
(Pennsylvania)
12/03/2016
Hi! I've had PD for about three months, except mine is around my eyes. I thought it was triggered by the fact that I just restarted my menstrual cycle after 1.5 years (pregnancy, breastfeeding). My doctor has prescribed 2 months of doxicycline and flagyl fungal cream. I'm beyond upset, because you CAN NOT conceive while on doxi or your fetus will have detrimental effects.
Because of this being so close to my eye, I'm very cautious of what I should use. I've tried melaleuca on my nasal bridge as well as lemongrass essential oils, I tried discontinuing all makeup, lotions and face wash. Does anyone have suggestions for the area around the eye as well as eyelid? I would be forever grateful! Thank you!
(Somewhere, Europe)
12/04/2016
(North Vancouver)
05/08/2017
(St Pete Fl)
07/10/2017
Hi. I am not in the usual 'group'. I'm 60 & developed PD around my nostril area about a month ago. My doc prescribed antibiotics & 2% cortisone cream…after getting home I decided to get online & do my research. Here is what I've done/changed. I discarded the meds! I got apple cider vinegar 'with mother', tea tree oil toothpaste & Neutrogena facial wipes. I cleaned all my makeup brushes in alcohol. I brush my teeth using Zephyrhills spring water (no fluoride),
I clean my face with the wipes, when it's completely dry I apply the vinegar neat with a q-tip (very precise application). I allow this to dry. I then apply whatever moisturizer I'm currently using…but not on the affected area. I never put makeup on the affected area while I had the breakout. I also added B12, B3 & D3 daily. During a recent visit to the dentist…told him no fluoride, no latex gloves. My face is completely clear of PD. I have read that PD can return…so I apply the vinegar (50/50 water) to my nostril area every night…with the intention of lessening this to 2-3 times p/week…it stinks…but I'm determined to keep it away.
I would say one of the key things is to keep your hands very clean at all times…with this condition it's impossible to keep yourself from touching the affected areas…they itch!!
(Victoria)
09/12/2017
Hi! I had PD around my nose/mouth when I was 12, treated with a "bingo dabber" of some sort of antibiotic and then eventually with oral antibiotics (tetracycline I believe) which finally did the trick. However at age 24 it came back, this time around my eyes. I believe I was triggered by my makeup use, and I have since discontinued using makeup beyond very rare occasions. The doctor prescribed me some sort of very expensive topical probiotic, which was not effective. I eventually requested the tetracycline again which worked. However now about a year and a half later it has returned (I left the makeup on my face for too long again after an event). I am going to try apple cider vinegar this time, and default back to tetracycline if it doesn't work. It does feel different treating it around the eyes - the skin is even more sensitive! I can't even touch it at all - I can feel it getting worse every time I do.
(Suwanee, Georgia)
02/20/2018
Tea Tree oil blended with Jojoba oil has completely gotten rid of mine. Safe for around eyes, just use lightly. I take the oil and mix it into my lotion.
Avoid Fluoride
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!!!!
(Boise, Idaho)
01/29/2017
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!!!
Avoid Guar Gum and Carrageen
I had an outbreak of perioral dermatitis and I noticed it was after I ate certain dairy products - sour cream, cream cheese and milk shakes, soft serve ice cream. I reviewed all ingredients and noticed that all contained guar gum or carrageenan- a thickening agent. I would have no problem eating certain ice creams and those were brands free of the thickening agent.
Avoiding Mint
I have realized that my perioral dermatitis has been caused by anything with mint flavoring/essential oils etc. I have cut out all mint related products and foods (even my lip balm had peppermint oil in it) and the PD has started clearing. I have suffered with mild PD all my life and recently it got terrible (I may have eaten a few too many peppermint patties). I have also had horrible acne which I am starting to think may have been related to the mint because it was around my mouth, mainly.
I just wanted to write this because I know a lot of people give up toothpastes with flouride and SLS but don't think about the mint. I know others have written about mint, cinnamon, essential oils etc. (most of which bother me, too), but I wanted to point out the mint connection in case it is being overlooked.
Bleach Water
I believe my perioral dermatitis is actually severe rosacea. After trying ACV alone for 2 months, antifungal cream alone for 2 months, and a weak boric acid solution alone for 2 months, nothing has seemed to help. I tried coconut oil for 3 days only as it got progressively worse with this. I have fought this for a long time. I am now trying bleach water. I am still using the weak boric acid for my eyes (as the eye on the worst side of my face has been fighting sties for a long time as well). This points me to mites/bacteria overload. So I just decided to hit it with the worst I could throw at it. I have very oily facial skin, to the point that 2 hours after bathing, it is oily again, so makeup to cover my terrible face is out of the question.
After 2 weeks of twice daily cotton ball wipe of 10% bleach water (maybe 20%, I just splash a bit of bleach in distilled water in a plastic covered container), my face is noticeably better. The lumps are diminishing, along with the redness. I still get a few pustules here and there, not 5 new ones daily like before. My skin can take this harsh treatment since my oil production is through the roof, so may not be for everyone out there. I do not rinse it off, nor will I use it close to my eyes. I will continue this protocol for at least a total 2 month time frame to give it a fair shot.
Boron
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.
Distilled Water Cleansing
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.
Gluten-Free Diet, Psyllium
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!!!
Melaleuca Oil
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.
(Wi)
08/31/2017
Oregano, Honey Mask
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!!
OTC Anti-Fungal, Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
I cured my bad case of Perioral Dermatitis by using a fluoride free tooth paste (Hello brand) and by using Lotrimin cream 2-3 times a day. Good luck, I hope this helps.
POD Triggered by Decaf Coffee
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!
POD Triggered by Ice Cream
My POD started when I went on a keto diet and started eating halo top ice cream. As soon as I quit eating it, the rash went away and anytime I ain't even a little bit, it would come back. It also comes back sometimes, whether I eat the ice cream or not right before my period so it's definitely triggered by hormonal changes.
POD Triggered by Mint and Cinnamon
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.
POD Triggered by Tannins
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!
