Do You Have Acne? Or Do You Have Perioral Dermatitis? Here’s the Difference

Honestly, it kills my soul when I see clients in-clinic who tell me that they have acne concerns, and they’ve been treating their acne with strong acids and actives…

Then I look at their skin and they don’t actually have acne, they have perioral dermatitis - because the two skin conditions are often mistaken for one another and the treatments for both are actually quite different.

Perioral dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition of the face.

It mostly affects young middle-aged women and if you have it, you may get small inflammatory red papules and pustules with or without scaling around your mouth, chin and nose areas; but it can also pop up a little around your eyes.

For some, it can feel a little burn-y or itchy but this does also depend on what you are putting on your skin.

Anyway, everyone’s experience with perioral dermatitis can be different, although it is actually quite common.

However, understanding why people develop perioral dermatitis still remains a little bit of an unsolved mystery.

What causes perioral dermatitis is still not fully understood.

It’s been connected to topical corticosteroid use, hormonal factors including stress, and external hormonal influences like IUDs, oral contraceptives etc. but also toothpaste and skincare.

How you treat perioral dermatitis will depend on the severity of it, however, generally topical and/or oral antibiotics are required so you’ll most likely be referred to a doctor.

Alongside this, you will also need to be looking at the skincare that you are using and/or potential triggers including hormonal influences, stress, toothpaste and of course any topical corticosteroids that need to be stopped.

If you are pregnant and experiencing perioral dermatitis (which is common) there are also options for you so always chat to your doctor about the best way to manage your personal situation.

However, most of the time I find people put off visiting their doctor for too long and end up living with recurring perioral dermatitis for months and months.

And honestly, if it's lingering and you’ve stripped your skincare routine right back, are being super careful and bland with everything but it’s just hanging around - it is worth speaking to a medical professional; because medication does work and is a lot quicker at treating perioral dermatitis than trying to manage it yourself.

Moral: Perioral dermatitis is sooooo different to acne.

If you have a red-looking rash around your mouth with papules and pustules that feel burny or stingy get it assessed.

Do not use exfoliating acids, retinoids, vitamin C or any type of active skincare on your perioral dermatitis if that is what you suspect you might have. Basic skincare is a must.

See a doctor ASAP to get it diagnosed and start on proper treatment.

Also, think about potential things in your life/skincare routine that might have triggered it so that you can avoid them in the future.

Only once your perioral dermatitis clears is it important to incorporate actives that are deemed safe back into your routine - but also very slowly.

LED light therapy treatments may also be beneficial in-clinic so chat to your Dermal Therapist about your options.