| 5 star (51) | 64% | |
| 4 star (14) | 18% | |
| 3 star (1) | 1% | |
| 2 star (1) | 1% | |
| 1 star (7) | 9% | |
 (6) | 8% |
Rachel (Bentonville, AR) on 02/27/2023: 
I have been struggling with the rash for the past two months. At first, I wasn’t sure what it was. Being as I am 21 weeks pregnant. I thought it was just relentless pimples. However, it hit its worst about two weeks ago and has taken over my whole chin. So I went to a derm. They of course prescribed anti-biopics but I cannot taken those due to pregnancy. After being diagnosed with POD. I started doing my research after zero help from the derm and found this site. I started my combination treatment of POD right away. Of cutting out gluten, added sugar, dairy. Adding 1 tbps of ACV to smoothies daily, using a half water half ACV mix 3-5 times a day with coconut oil once or twice daily. It’s been a little over a week, I felt like I initially saw improvement with some of the bumps pushing out the little white spots right away and then flaking off. However, now it feels like the rash has spread up my face and I’m seeing way more of those white bumps and flaking. But doesn’t appear to be much better. Does anyone else have experience with POD and being pregnant? Is that a factor in this and why I am not healing? Am I doomed to have this until birth? Or should I keep going with the ACV treatment?
Amanda (Melbourne, Victoria) on 12/25/2018: 
Amanda (Melbourne, Victoria) on 11/22/2018: 
I used ACV yesterday for the first time after years of never trying this, and in the same day I noticed that the redness and swelling went down a little (and the skin dried out). I did 50/50 ACV/water. Today is day 2 of this (and no antibiotics) and already it seems to be better - not perfect but certainly a little less red and perhaps less bumpy.
Really hoping things continue this way!! I've always been very skeptical of this whole ACV thing but so far it's doing well..
The Guy (Europe) on 10/24/2018: 
This is it. This has worked for me the last 10 years, whenever I feel a breakout is coming.
1. Buy Apple Cider Vinegar (Always buy with "mother" in it - very important).
2. Dilute 1 part ACV 2 parts water (If your skin can handle it, move on to half/half). Mix in a in a small dispenser with a spray nozzle. Put it in the fridge, so it is cool when you use it. Not necessary, but it feels better and is way easier to use:)
3. Use minimum 2 times a day, morning and night after. I use it 4-6 time a day because my skin can handle it. I just keep the little dispenser with me and spray throughout the day.
4. STICK to it! This won't work in a day or 2. Mine takes about a week to 10 days. But slowly it goes away and begins to dry up.
5. Do not touch or use any other products to aggravate the rash. None.
6. Moisturizing is optional - u have to figure out what works for you. I personally do not moisturize at night, because the PD dries up faster for me this way. If you must moisturize, only use natural remedies like coconut oil.
Thats it.
Give it a try - it has saved my life completely!
Anne (Las Vegas, Nv) on 04/02/2018:
I finally read about apple cider vinegar. I mixed equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar. I applied it to my face using a cotton ball. The first couple of days it burned, but I was willing to try anything. I let it dry for a minute or so and then put cetaphil lotion on it. After 5 days the rash was almost completely gone. There was no more itching or burning and I finally had relief.
Alexandra (Detroit ) on 03/14/2018:
Azin M (Los Angeles Ca) on 03/02/2018: 
Pandora (Toronto, Ontario) on 02/12/2018:
My Dermatologist put me on Protopic (steroid cream) and antibiotics. I used it for a few months and it my rash disappeared. However, I was doing two other things at the time that I think helped. I was using a face cleanser that contains the same ingredient used to treat scalp dandruff. I also started covering my whole face in Vaseline after reading that it would “starve” the bacteria on oxygen. The first night I put Vaseline on, my face burned which I interpreted as the fungus dying.
I was left with normal skin, with a lot of hyperpigmentation because I had been so rough with trying to get rid of the scales. I think what happened is that the steroid cream kept my symptoms at bay while I continued to use the cleanser, which eventually killed the bacteria. I stopped using protopic after a few months the rash did not come back. Occasionally, I would see a bump or two, apply protopic and it would go away. The hyperpigmentation eventually faded.
In Oct 2017, I decided to go off of my oral contraceptive. In January 2018, I entered into a new relationship and so restarted my birth control. That’s when I started getting bumps beside my mouth. Acne cream did not help, neither did the protopic. After some online research I self-diagnosed myself with perioral dermatitis.
From my experience two years ago, I knew how bad this could get. I was terrified and determined not to go back to what had been. My Dermatologist cannot see me until April! After reading all the reports on ACV on EC website, I bought some organic AVC and began to apply it to my face, followed up with calendula cream. I applied it full strength, I was diluting at first, but when done full strength I could see the “fizzing and bubbling” that others have mentioned. The PO active areas on my face would show white bumps. After the areas stopped reacting (2-4 days), I apply a diluted ACV solution to keep it from coming back.
I applied it not just to my mouth, but my forehead, nose and cheeks. I did this because in the past that’s where the bumps would occur and fade. Sure enough, there was PO, hiding in this area too. The ACV definitely made my face worse before it got better.
Using it full strength caused some bad drying of my skin. Some patches look like burns. Even with the calendula cream, y skin was tight and I looked tired and wrinkly because of the dry skin. I returned to using Vaseline after the calendula cream. This made my face feel comfortable and normal. The dry skin began to fall off and the skin underneath was smooth.
I started using this treatment 2 weeks ago. The PO is not gone, but is remarkably better. My skin is smooth, not red but a light pink. I am going to continue to use ACV and hopefully can get rid of this for good. I intend to tone with diluted ACV solution morning and night from now on.
Other things I am doing
Since I could not get the Born to be Mild cleaner anymore (they don’t ship to Canada), I bought a soap on Amazon.ca with the same zinc ingredient. It’s not drying on the skin. I wash my face with this before applying AVC
I take a probiotic, multivitamin and zinc supplement at night. I will stop the zinc after the PO is gone, because there is such a thing as too much zinc in the system. It can make you sick.
I put AVC and turmeric in my green tea every morning. No more than 2 tsp of ACV, usually less
I am not going back on oral contraceptives. I am going to speak to my doctor about other options
I have been a vegetarian since the age of 10, about 75% of my diet is vegan.
I do use makeup to cover the PO when I go out. Probably shouldn’t, but I am not as brave as some. Just concealer and foundation. I use Tarte and Bare Minerals.
Talked to people about what was happened. When this happened before I just hid at home and cried. This time, I was honest with the people in my life. I told the guy I was seeing about it before he saw me for our next date (he said he didn’t notice anything, sweet guy) I told my friends about it and how scared/upset I was. When people ask “how are you?” I am honest and say “I’m having some skin issues actually; I’m pretty self-conscious right now.” The support has been immediate and I don’t feel like I am hiding. From a mental health standpoint, it’s helped.
I know my use of Vaseline may be controversial to some on this site. Most sites agree that it is not good for PO. But in my experience it has not made my skin worse, and everyone’s skin is different.
Good luck everyone!
Bellahive221 (California ) on 01/19/2018:
Canada (Toronto) on 01/07/2018:
I have gotten perioral dermatitis around my nose for about a month; and was given antibiotics which were to be applied on my noise twice a day for two weeks; by using it, the bubbles and rash did disappear until I stopped using it.
Therefore I decide to try something different and came across ACV. I applied organic acv raw on the area. The bubbles started bursting into little dots of blood, and obviously hurt and burned. The next morning I woke up with a massive red and irritated skin therefore I almost got discouraged to keep on applying ACV; however after reading lots of comments I continued doing so twice or three times a day without washing it off.
May I say that On day 3; my dermatitis was completely gone.
I highly recommend to NOT use any antibiotics; most of the doctors are not even sure how to cure it with them; and by trying you are damaging your liver for life.
Cheers,
Hope it helps.
