What is perioral dermatitis?

Perioral dermatitis is the term given to persistent patches of bumpy, spotty, inflamed or irritated skin around the mouth and nose. It can resemble both acne and rosacea, and is sometimes seen as a cross between the two conditions, but it tends to be triggered by slightly different things, and will need different treatment.

What causes perioral dermatitis?

PD can be triggered or aggravated by a whole variety of things, but everyone’s skin is different, so a product or ingredient that triggers a flare in person might be fine for another to use. Having said that, there are some things that seem to cause problems for a majority of perioral dermatitis sufferers.

These include:

• hormonal contraception/hormonal changes
• topical corticosteroid creams
• Heavy sunscreens
• fungal or bacterial infections
• fluoridated toothpaste
• Cosmetics
• Comedogenic moisturisers, ie containing paraffin or coconut oil
• Soaps
• Sulphates/SLS in washes, toothpaste etc.

In fact, it’s pretty good advice to put as little as possible on your face if you’re prone to perioral dermatitis, whether that means cosmetics or other lotions and potions (especially topical steroid creams), and certainly during a flare up it’s sensible to be extra careful about what you use.

You do still need to keep your skin clean, though, especially as microbes like yeast infections or bacteria on the skin are possible culprits for triggering a flare.

What can you use to wash perioral dermatitis?

Because your face is so sensitive, especially during a flare of perioral dermatitis, it’s important to choose a face wash that won’t aggravate it further, and won’t sting or dry out already irritated skin.

That generally means choosing products that don’t contain:

• Soap
• Sulphates
• Fragrance
• Harsh synthetic preservatives

You can try using these three Balmonds products in combination, to keep your face clean and well moisturised during a dermatitis flare:

1. Balmonds Natural Shampoo & Body Wash

This extra gentle all-purpose wash can be used on the face as well as the hair and body. Use a small amount with warm (not hot or cold) water, and rinse thoroughly, patting your skin dry very gently with a clean, soft towel, and then moisturising with an oil, cream or balm (according to preference) afterwards. It’s made without SLS, soap, fragrances or artificial preservatives to keep sensitive skin as calm as possible.

2. Omega-Rich Cleansing Oil

You can also use the oil cleansing method to keep your face clean and nourished. Massage a small amount of the oil into your skin and then use a clean, damp, soft cloth or cotton wool pad to carefully and gently wipe off the excess. The unfragranced oil is formulated not to clog pores, and can be used for removing makeup or daily grime. The oil is even free from essential oils so it’s ultra gentle for sore skin that is so prone to reacting to anything put on it.

3. Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream

This is a lighter, non-comedogenic moisturiser for sensitive skin, which should help keep areas of perioral dermatitis well hydrated without causing irritation or blocking pores. It’s made with nutritious shea butter, hemp seed and safflower oils. Use it after washing your face.

Recommended products:

Balmonds Natural Shampoo & Body Wash
with calendula & chamomile

Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream
with shea butter and calendula

Balmonds Omega-Rich Cleansing Oil
with rosehip and calendula