Skinrepublic

Dear Dr. Jen,

I always have pimples around my mouth. It doesn't seem to affect other parts of my face. I've been using some sort of steroid my internist prescribed. It initially disappeared but came back in full force after a few months. Is there any way to keep it under control?

Jane

Dear Jane,

Perioral dermatitis usually presents as red bumps, often confused with pimples. One of the more common causes, though taken for granted, is the use of toothpastes with fluoride. Fluoride is a skin irritant. Simply switching to fluoride-free toothpastes can change your skin. These can be bought in herbal or health stores.

Use of steroid, especially fluorinated ones such as fluocinolone or fluocinonide, can also aggravate and contribute formation of perioral lesions. Other known factors that can exacerbate perioral dermatitis are strong soaps or washes and cosmetic products. Using the wrong lipstick can also make it worse. It is best to stay away from exfoliating scrubs too.

Treatment still entails applying anti-acne regimen such as erythromycin or clindamycin which may or may not be coupled with tretinoin. Your PDS dermatologist will prescribe accordingly depending on severity of your perioral dermatitis. Best of luck!

Dear Dr. Jen,

Is it okay not to wear sunblock on a cloudy or rainy day? I'm guessing the sun rays won't really go through dark clouds, right?

Sheila

Dear Sheila,

It is very tempting to excuse ourselves from not wearing sunblock, especially while we're in the middle of the rainy and monsoon season. However, UV radiation can still penetrate through the dark clouds even when we don't feel the heat. We must still be religious about having sunblock coverage to keep wrinkles, sunspots and freckles at bay. The Philippines is still near the equator and its residents still need sun protection.Also, indoor sources of radiation still exist (computers, TV, lamps, etc)..Hope the rainy days ahead won't discourage you from using your sunblock.