If you have diagnosed perioral dermatitis, work with your GP or dermatologist to keep facial care as simple as possible. This often means temporarily using fewer cosmetics, washing gently and following an individual treatment plan. Tight-feeling skin does not automatically need another serum or a thicker layer of cream. Have new, persistent or unexplained bumps around your mouth, nose or eyes assessed first: a photograph or a look in the mirror cannot tell you which condition you have.

Bumps around your mouth are not automatically acne

Perioral dermatitis causes small bumps, often with dryness, flaking or a burning sensation. It can also appear beside the nose or around the eyes, which is why the name periorificial dermatitis is used too. Redness and pink bumps may be more noticeable on lighter skin; on darker skin the colour may differ or be less obvious. A bright red rash is not a requirement.

The pattern and history of your symptoms help a clinician assess them. Avoid treating the bumps as acne yourself by adding lots of new products. If you have been diagnosed with acne instead, our guide to caring for acne-prone skin is more relevant. Rosacea and different types of eczema also need their own approach. General advice for dry skin is therefore not automatically your treatment plan.

Start by listing what you use

Gather your cleanser, moisturiser, make-up, serums and other facial products. Write down what you use, when you use it and anything that stings. Include products you apply only occasionally. This gives you something concrete to discuss: what can be left out for now, and what needs to stay as part of treatment? You do not need to buy a whole new skincare range.

The cause of perioral dermatitis is not fully understood. Some cosmetics and corticosteroids can play a part, but that does not establish that one ingredient caused your symptoms. Avoid building an ever-longer list of self-imposed bans. A quiet period with fewer products makes an agreed plan easier to follow. Do not introduce a peel, a new serum and a new mask together during that time.

A man places a white pump bottle beside a folded grey towel on a bathroom counter.

The British Association of Dermatologists, or BAD, advises temporarily avoiding facial creams and cosmetics during active symptoms unless your clinician advises otherwise. A rich barrier cream may also be unsuitable. Our guide to being gentle with an irritated skin barrier provides background, but its moisturising routine does not automatically apply to perioral dermatitis.

Water alone or a gentle cleanser?

This is a useful question for your appointment. BAD recommends washing with water while symptoms are active. The American Academy of Dermatology explains that switching to a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser may be part of an individual plan. These recommendations are not a reason to keep changing methods yourself: discuss what suits your skin and the products you need to remove.

For example, ask how to deal with prescribed cream, make-up or sunscreen in the evening. Build that advice into a simple morning and evening routine. If you are using water, rinse gently with your hands. If a cleanser is part of the plan, apply it gently and rinse as advised. Clean skin does not need to feel tight, squeaky or unusually smooth afterwards.

A woman rinses her face with water over a basin, holding her hands against her cheeks.

Pat dry and leave the bumps alone

Gently pat your face dry with a soft towel. Rubbing hard, using an exfoliating mitt or brushing the skin adds friction. Leave crusts and flakes alone too. Do not try to extract anything from the bumps with a spot tool or your nails.

A woman in a blue dressing gown gently holds a white towel against her cheek.

Wash your hands before carrying out an agreed skincare or treatment step. Afterwards, there is no need to keep touching or checking your face. Choose a calm moment to see how things are going rather than checking every hour. Note significant changes instead of repeatedly trying another product. This makes it easier to explain what has changed since your last appointment.

Two hands are being washed with soap under a running tap over a basin.

Discuss corticosteroids before changing anything

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medicines found in some creams, ointments, nasal sprays, inhalers and tablets. At your appointment, mention medicines prescribed for other conditions too. Do not start an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to suppress these bumps. A temporary reduction in redness does not mean the underlying problem has been resolved.

Do not change or stop prescribed medicine yourself. Ask the prescriber what to do, even if you suspect a connection with the rash. Medically necessary inhaled or other medicines are still needed; discuss using them correctly. Symptoms may temporarily worsen when a corticosteroid cream is changed. Ask your clinician what to expect and when to get in touch. A general article cannot provide a steroid taper for you to follow on your own.

A woman writes in a notebook at a wooden table beside a closed white pump bottle.

Treatment needs time and follow-up

Some people need prescribed treatment as well as a simpler routine, such as a medicine applied to the skin or an antibiotic. Your clinician decides what is appropriate. Do not use leftovers from a previous course or someone else’s cream. Ask how to apply the medicine, what to do if irritation occurs and when its effect will be reviewed.

Improvement is usually gradual. The AAD says complete clearing can take weeks to months; that is not an individual deadline. Agree when to return if improvement is insufficient. Once the rash is calmer, discuss how to reintroduce ordinary skincare. Avoid adding all your old products at once. A short note of the product and the date you started it can help at your next appointment.

A man talks at a desk with a woman wearing healthcare clothing; unbranded skincare containers sit on the table.

Protecting your skin outdoors

Sun protection does not treat perioral dermatitis. It still matters for skin exposed to UV, for example on a lunchtime walk, a bike ride or an afternoon outdoors. Consider the UV index, how long you will be outside and how much skin is uncovered. The Dutch RIVM recommends protective measures from UV index 3. Exposure can matter in autumn and winter too; a quiet day indoors does not call for an automatic two-hour reapplication routine.

Choose shade where possible and wear a wide-brimmed hat and suitable clothing. Discuss which sunscreen and cleansing method fit your treatment plan. For uncovered skin that tolerates it, the general recommendation is broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Apply enough according to the label and reapply outdoors about every two hours, including after swimming, heavy sweating or towel drying as directed. Do not keep applying a product through clear burning; ask about a suitable alternative.

A woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a yellow jumper walks through a shaded courtyard.

Using sunscreen properly helps prevent skin cancer, sunburn and premature sun-related ageing. No product gives complete protection. Terms such as fragrance-free or hypoallergenic do not guarantee that a product will suit your skin either. Read what these labels mean and discuss a choice you are unsure about; a label cannot replace your treatment plan.

When should you get back in touch?

Have new or unexplained rashes assessed. Contact your clinician again if symptoms clearly worsen, prescribed treatment causes problems or you have not improved enough by the agreed review point. Mention new symptoms around the eyes too. Bring your product and medicine list. A few focused questions are more useful than another round of random products: what do I leave out, how do I wash, what should I use and when will we review it?

Soluveli is developing daily facial sun protection. The product is still in development; suitability for perioral dermatitis and a treatment effect have not been established through testing. If you would like to hear when it becomes available, you can sign up for one email on launch day.

Sources and context

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  1. AAD — Bumps and a rash around the mouthGuidance on appearance, possible triggers, discussing prescribed corticosteroids, gentle care and gradual improvement.
  2. British Association of Dermatologists — Perioral dermatitisThe patient leaflet recommends fewer facial products and washing with water during active symptoms unless a clinician advises otherwise. Its stated last update is February 2023.
  3. AAD — Sunscreen and sun protectionGeneral information on preventing skin cancer, sunburn and premature sun-related ageing, broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and reapplication outdoors.
  4. RIVM — Protection at UV index 3 or higherDutch exposure guidance: shade, clothing and sunscreen from UV index 3. This does not treat perioral dermatitis.
  5. DermNet — Periorificial dermatitisSpecialist background on the condition, reducing products, occlusive creams, medically necessary medicines and its course. No individual prescription or steroid taper.