help -- eczema on face

[Ciel]

Does anyone have experience with perioral dermatitis or facial eczema?

It looks awesome.

From what I have been reading online, it says not to use cortisone cream on the face, not even the milder OTC products. Some site say not to use any lotion or cream or cosmetic at all (there is no hope for concealer anyway). I also have very dry skin that not only flakes and peels but can crack and bleed so I am not confident that going without anything will be helpful. So far I have only used calendula cream for the itching and this week used some lysine balm in and around my nose for a patchy cold sore and deep cracks inside one nostril. Yep, looks even more awesome.

I would love to hear how others have dealt with eczema on the face. I have a patch to the side of my nose which seems to be creeping up my cheek, and two red dotty patches under and around both sides of my lips. It looks embarrassingly similar to  teething rash. Plus horrible crusty patches under each eyebrow (thankfully small and mostly healed right now).

[MandCmama]

My dermatologist has prescribed brief treatments with steroid cream for both myself and my boys.

[GingerPye]

My teenage daughter has facial eczema often.  She gets like you describe, including in her eyebrows, which she really hates. 

Her dermatologist told us to buy DML facial moisturizer, which I had to order from Walgreens (and got fed up with our local Walgreens and ended up ordering it direct from the company).  DD says it's the best stuff she has used on her face.  And we've tried a lot of different products.
Here it is on Amazon, and the ingredients are listed:

http://www.amazon.com/DML-Daily-Facial-Moisturizer-SPF/dp/B000052YN5

Otherwise, Vanicream is the other moisturizer we have on hand all the time.  It's thick but it does work well. 

And also -- for somewhat immediate relief, do "wet wraps" on your face.  Use wet washcloths and place them on your face for 15 min.  Then use whatever lotion/cream you have on hand --- cream if you have it -- the thicker the better.  Put it on within 3 minutes of taking the washcloths off.  Do this 2 or 3 times a day as you can.

[GoingNuts]

I've had it on my eyelids from using "cheap drugstaw makeup" (as my Fran Drescher-voiced dermatologist calls it).  She said it was OK to use mild hydrocortisone cream there; I had been afraid to use something that close to the eye.

[Macabre]

I've been diagnosed with perioral dermatitis.  I've dealt with it on and off for two years and was under the care of a dermatologist at UVA for it (teaching hospital).

"No hydrocortisone cream" is right.

Mine has been exacerbated significantly by using a cleanser with one of my allergens: chamomile.

Using an antibiotic has taken care of it (but it comes back after a while but I don't take the antibiotic per directions because it gives me reflux).  I am supposed to take it twice a day, but I tend to take it once a day. Also there are restrictions with dairy consumption before and after taking it.

I also get it in my forehead, just above my nose.

Basically, when I have a flareup I take my antibiotic. My derm, whom I've not seen since May, thought if I just followed the course if antibiotics correctly it'd totally go away. I need to find a doctor in my new town.

[Macabre]

Mine is not crusty at all. It looks like acne. Back when I was using that cleanser with chamomile it looked like a zit that never ever went away. 

[Ciel]

Uh oh... I have been switching to natural and organic products over the last year. I do not wear makeup on a regular basis, but I do on occasion and did wear some over the holidays. Wouldn't I react to that more immediately? I haven't applied anything except concealer recently. I wish it was "cheap drugstaw makeup" because it would be less painful to toss if it turns out to be at fault. (Was Fran Drescher the one on Friends or the one on the Nanny? lol). For cleansers, lotions/creams and sunscreen I've been using Green Beaver products. Other than that I've tried Neem cream but I can't remember the brand. I don't use that one often because I think it smells disgusting.

I'm not thrilled with the idea of going back to a product with synthetic chemical ingredients, but the DML has high reviews everywhere I looked, which is enough to make me consider it. I do occasionally use Glaxal Base Cream on my legs and arms because they are so dry and scaly, itchy and gross. I wonder if they are similar, since I happen to have a tub of that on hand already. I don't like it on my face though, it feels very heavy and greasy. The DML reviews say it does not do that -- what does your daughter think GP? Maybe I should try to find a place that will ship to Canada and order it anyway.

Do you know why it is no to hydrocortisone, Macabre? I really do not want a long term antibiotic, or even a short term one if I can avoid it. That'll cause other issues and I have too many issues to deal with already. I think my eyebrow spots might be different than what is around my mouth and nose but I'm not sure. I'm tempted to try the EczemaCare cream there. I also have a patch in my armpit that is driving me crazy.

I'll see if I can get a photo in good lighting so you can tell me if you think mine looks similar, if you are willing. (of my face, not the armpit I promise!) If my GP can handle it I would rather not wait 6 months to see a dermatologist.

[GingerPye]

Since DD has been using DML, I've only noticed flare-ups when she's ill.  Her face has been looking a lot better otherwise. 

She's not here to ask right now, but I know she doesn't like using heavy creams on her face --- they tend to look greasy and feel heavy.  But she really likes the DML and told me that it works better than anything else we've tried.  I have to agree that it has worked well. 

DD was diagnosed with ichthyosis, mainly after the dermatologist looked at her arms and legs.  Scaly, itchy, really dry, with the red flares here and there.  She uses AmLactin.  She's been very happy with that lotion/cream.  It has helped a great deal as well. 

I've bought the AmLactin at Walgreens and also from amazon.

I think the 'no' to hydrocortisone on the face is because the skin is thinner and more prone to sunburn.  DD was advised to use it for a short time with sunscreen and also some other prescription meds --- which I'd have to go find.  She uses those meds when flared. 

[Ciel]

I couldn't get the light exactly right. With a lot of light some of the redness is washed out (I wish it would do that for real) and with less light everything blends and my whole face looks orange.




Eyebrow area is pretty good right now, mostly healed. The little red spots are where it was crusty with scabs and dry skin. The worst of it was partly underneath my eyebrow. (I'm looking strangely off to the side trying to find the button to take the picture).

[Ciel]

Thanks GP, I'm going to give it if I can find it. Does she use the one you linked or has she also used the Forte one?

[GingerPye]

DD has the Forte stuff but I see she hasn't cracked that box open yet.  When I ordered directly from the company, I went through the site and ordered 3 or 4 other DML products for her, including the Forte one. 

For her face, what she uses consistently is the "Pink one" (the term the dermatologist used, lol).  "DML Daily Facial Moisturizer with broad spectrum sunscreens enhanced with Avobenzone SPF 20."

The company is Person & Covey.    This webpage shows "the pink one."  http://www.personandcovey.com/Product.asp?CategoryID=6

Ordering from the company was the same cost as Walgreens and Amazon, FWIW.

You have beautiful eyes, BTW!

[GingerPye]

Here's the AmLactin DD uses, if you are interested in that as well:

http://www.amazon.com/AmLactin-Moisturizing-Lotion-17-6-Style/dp/B003R1BDRI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1359221080&sr=8-6&keywords=AmLactin

That one we usually get at Walgreens.  I have seen it in some other stores as well.  Dermatologist says it is the lactic acid in it that is needed -- I was worried that it was a milk derivative but it is not.  (DD has milk allergy)  I have seen some other lotions with lactic acid.  This one is expensive; don't know about others.

They offer a cream and some other variations, but DD always wants this one.  Her arms and legs look much better.

[Ciel]

thanks GP.

Person and Covey won't ship to Canada, and I can't find it on the Amazon.ca site and I don't think the .com site ships to Canada either. Nor does drugstore.com, walgreens.com or cvs.com. Since I have never heard of it or seen it before, I suspect it is not available at Shoppers or Loblaws. I will keep looking and I will ask my pharmacist for suggestions. 

Edit: It looks like I can order the DML products from ebeauty.ca, but not the Amlactin. I will continue to hunt for that one.

Thanks as always for all youR help GingerPye!

[GingerPye]

I do see on the person&covey home page, an email address if you need it shipped "internationally."  Don't know if they consider Canada international.

I do hope you can find these products.  Otherwise, I can ship them to you.  I'd be more than happy to do that for you.

[GingerPye]

I'm looking at the AmLactin on the amazon page, and it says that it "ships from and sold by Daily Market."  I clicked on "Daily Market" and then clicked on their shipping policies, and they say they do ship to Canada.