Perioral Dermatitis: Symptoms, causes and triggers

Fast answer:

Perioral dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition that causes redness, small bumps, and irritation around the mouth.
It is not acne and is not caused by poor hygiene.

Important: Perioral dermatitis can look like acne, eczema, rosacea, or infection. If your rash is spreading, painful, near the eyes, or not improving, speak to a GP, pharmacist, or dermatologist.

It is often triggered by skincare products, topical steroid creams, or hormonal changes, and can feel persistent and frustrating to manage.

The good news is that, with the right approach, symptoms can often be calmed and the skin supported back to a more comfortable, balanced state.

Perioral dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition that causes redness, small bumps and irritation around the mouth. It may also affect the skin around the nose or eyes.

It can resemble acne, eczema, rosacea or an infection, so an accurate diagnosis is important when the rash is persistent, spreading or close to the eyes.

This guide explains how to recognise perioral dermatitis, its possible causes and triggers, and when to seek professional advice. For management options, visit our complete perioral dermatitis treatment guide.

What Is Perioral Dermatitis?

Perioral dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition that mainly affects the area around the mouth. It often appears as redness, small bumps, or irritated patches and can be mistaken for acne or rosacea.

Although it can look severe, perioral dermatitis is not caused by poor hygiene and is not contagious. With the right care and avoidance of common triggers, symptoms can often be calmed over time. If you’d like a deeper understanding, see our complete eczema guide.

Common Symptoms of Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis usually affects the skin around the mouth but can also appear around the nose or eyes. Symptoms can vary in severity and may flare up over time.

Common symptoms include:

• Redness or inflamed patches around the mouth
• Small bumps or raised spots
• Burning, stinging, or itching sensations
• Dry, flaky, or tight-feeling skin

Understanding possible triggers can make it easier to notice patterns and avoid products or habits that may be contributing to irritation.

Symptoms may also worsen with certain skincare products or topical steroid creams.

Eczema can also affect the face in different ways. Our facial eczema guide explains common symptoms, triggers and everyday care in more detail.

What Can Trigger Perioral Dermatitis?

Perioral dermatitis is often linked to a combination of triggers rather than a single cause. Identifying and reducing these triggers can help calm flare-ups and prevent symptoms from worsening.

Common triggers include:

• Topical steroid creams used on the face
• Heavy or fragranced skincare products
• Toothpaste containing strong detergents
• Hormonal changes or stress
• Over-cleansing or frequent product changes

Avoiding irritants and simplifying skincare routines is often an important first step in managing symptoms.

Cleansers can also contribute to irritation, especially when skin is already sensitive. If you are unsure whether your cleanser could be part of the problem, our guide to face wash and perioral dermatitis explains which ingredients and cleansing habits may trigger symptoms.

A simple routine focused on gentle cleansing, avoiding known irritants and introducing products carefully may help reduce unnecessary stress on sensitive skin.

Treatment and skincare overview

Treatment depends on the severity of the rash, its possible triggers and whether another condition needs to be ruled out. Some people may be advised to simplify their skincare, while others require prescribed topical or oral medication.

Do not stop a medically prescribed steroid without asking the prescribing healthcare professional for advice. Symptoms can temporarily worsen when facial steroids are withdrawn.

Our perioral dermatitis treatment guide explains medical options, skincare changes, expected recovery and how to avoid common treatment mistakes.

Rather than trying to "treat" the skin aggressively, the goal is to calm irritation and support the skin barrier.

If you want a more detailed approach to choosing and using products, our perioral dermatitis skincare routine explains what to use, what to avoid and how to keep your routine simple while your skin is irritated.

Who Should Get Medical Advice First

Speak to a healthcare professional first if:

• the rash is spreading quickly
• the skin is cracked, bleeding, or infected
• the rash is close to the eyes
• you are using steroid cream on your face
• symptoms keep returning
• the condition affects a baby or young child

What We Know and What We Do Not Claim

At Bragan Skincare, we believe in being honest about sensitive skin.

We know that many customers use our Atopic Cream to calm visible irritation, dryness, redness, and discomfort.

However, we do not claim that one cream cures perioral dermatitis for everyone.

Everyone’s skin is different. Some people see a fast improvement. Others may need more time. And some people may need medical treatment from a doctor.

Supporting Sensitive Skin Carefully

Bragan Atopic Cream may suit people who:

• have dry, irritated skin around the mouth
• want a gentle moisturising cream
• prefer fragrance-free skincare
• are trying to simplify their routine
• want to support the skin barrier

Lorraine's Experience

For many people, dermatitis is more than just a skin condition. The constant itching, irritation and flare-ups can affect confidence, comfort and everyday life. Lorraine understands that challenge all too well.

After struggling with ongoing skin issues, Lorraine decided to try Bragan Skincare and later shared her experience with us. What we appreciate most is not just her willingness to try something new, but her willingness to tell her story so openly. Real experiences can often provide reassurance and hope to others who may be facing similar challenges.

We understand that every person's skin is different, and no product works for everyone. However, stories like Lorraine's remind us why we do what we do. If you'd like to hear about her experience directly, you can watch Lorraine's video testimonial here.

The following section shares one person’s personal experience with perioral dermatitis. Results can vary, and this is not medical advice.

For almost a full year, I felt like I wasn’t myself anymore. My name is Lorraine Mannion, and I want to tell you my story. I want to tell you what perioral dermatitis did to me, how it affected my confidence, and what happened after I changed my skincare routine.

I’m sharing this because so many women, men, and even teenagers are struggling with this condition. I used to be one of them. I know the fear, the shame, the frustration, and the exhaustion that come with perioral dermatitis symptoms. I know the feeling of waking up hoping the redness is gone, only to realise it has actually worsened.

I know the sting.
I know the itch.
I know the bumps.
I know the frustration.

And I know how it affects your confidence.

This is my story. And I hope it helps you the way the Bragan Skincare Atopic Cream helped me.

The Day My Perioral Dermatitis Started

It began as a small patch around my mouth. It was merely a slight tinge of redness. A tiny thing. I thought nothing of it. But day after day, it got worse. The redness spread. Then the bumps came. Next came the itching. Next came the burning sensation.

I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t know what I had done wrong. I tried to ignore it at first. I hoped it would go away on its own. But it didn’t. It grew.

And with it, something else grew too.
My fear.

This fear was etched on my face. I couldn’t hide it. I couldn’t cover it. I couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there.

I started to worry every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I started to dread going anywhere. I started to feel like my face wasn’t mine anymore.

The Emotional Toll of Perioral Dermatitis

I won’t lie. This condition broke me down more than I ever expected. I’m a busy mammy. I’m always on the go. There's always training, matches, events, and everything else that comes with being part of a big GAA family. My husband and children are deeply involved, and usually I’m right alongside them.

But when the perioral dermatitis got really bad, I didn’t want to be seen.
I didn’t want to talk to people.
I didn’t want anyone to look at me.

I didn’t feel confident.
I didn’t feel pretty.
I didn’t feel normal.

Makeup only made things worse. Moisturisers made things flare. Some products stung my skin so badly that I ran to wash them off. And every time something failed, I lost more hope.

I spent so much money on creams that didn’t work that I honestly could have opened my own chemist.

It wasn’t just physical pain.
It was emotional pain.
And it was constant.

The Search for Answers

I joined Facebook groups. I read through forums. I listened to people who had suffered longer than I had. Some were dealing with it for years. Some tried antibiotics. Some tried steroid creams. Some tried completely giving up skincare. But person after person seemed stuck in the same cycle:

Flare → improvement → worse flare → despair

I didn’t want to be like that. I wanted a way out.

I asked questions. I looked into treatments. I searched for anything that didn’t involve steroids or strong medications. I wanted something gentle. Something natural. Something that people had real results with.

But no matter where I turned, there was no definite answer.
No cure.
No clear direction.

Just confusion. And more redness.

The Moment I Found Bragan Skincare

Then one day, I came across Bragan Skincare. I saw people mentioning the Atopic Cream. I saw before-and-after photos. I saw the word “snail mucin”, and to be honest, I wasn't sure what to think. But the results looked real. They looked genuine.

So I messaged Kieran from Bragan Skincare and asked him a simple question:

“Does this product do anything for perioral dermatitis?”

His reply was confident, calm, and reassuring.
He explained that many customers with perioral dermatitis-type irritation had used the Atopic Cream and reported good results.

For the first time in months, I felt hopeful.

I asked him if they had samples, because at this stage I had spent enough money on creams to supply a whole football team. I was also reminded that everyone's skin responds differently and that changes may take time.

Fair enough, I thought.
If I wanted to know, I’d have to try it properly.

So I ordered it.

And I prayed it would work.

When the Cream Arrived

I cannot describe how excited I was when the package arrived. I opened it straight away. I took a before photo, just in case it actually worked and I’d want to show people.

My skin at that stage was sore. It was red. It was bumpy. It was itchy. And it was embarrassing.

But I followed the instructions.
I used the cream gently.
I didn’t use anything else that might irritate my face.

And honestly…
I didn’t expect much at first.

But then, something happened.

The First Signs of Change

A few days in, I noticed a difference.

The redness started to calm.
The itching became less.
The bumps softened.
And the burning sensation faded.

I couldn’t believe it. I kept looking in the mirror to make sure I wasn’t imagining it. I took photos. I compared them. And every day it looked a bit better.

By the end of the first week, my skin looked like someone else’s.
In the best way possible.

By the second week, I felt like I had stepped back into my own face.
I felt like me again.

The transformation was unbelievable.
My confidence exploded back into my life.

The Big Change: The “After” Photo

Then came the moment that shocked even me.

I looked at the before photos…
And then at the after photos…
And I said out loud:

“Oh my God, that’s a different person.”

Over time, I noticed that the visible irritation had become much less noticeable and my skin felt more comfortable.
The miserable skin that had controlled my life for almost a year… was gone.

I cried.
I actually cried.

Not from pain.
But from relief.
From happiness.
From feeling whole again.

Why I Shared My Story Online

I’m not the kind of person who usually posts photos of myself on forums. I’m a mammy. I’m always busy. I’m in the background more than the foreground. But this time, something felt different.

I remember saying to Kieran:

“If this works for me, I’ll share it with the whole world.”

And I meant it.

So I went onto the Old Irish Remedies and Cures page.

I shared my before and after photos.
I shared my story.
I shared the product.
I told them what I did.
I told them how it changed my life.

Within an hour, people were asking for more details.
They were messaging me.
They were commenting.
They were hopeful just like I once was.

And I realised something:
If my story helps even one person feel normal again, it’s worth sharing.

Our family snail farm

Working with natural ingredients through our family snail farm in County Monaghan has taught us an important lesson: where an ingredient comes from is only one part of the story.

Natural origin alone does not determine whether something will be suitable for sensitive skin. How ingredients are selected, formulated and used matters too, particularly when skin is already dry or easily irritated.

That principle continues to shape how we think about skincare at Bragan. We value our connection to the farm while also believing that natural ingredients should be approached with the same care and realistic expectations as any other cosmetic ingredient.

Why People Trust Bragan Skincare

Our products don't begin in a boardroom. They begin with people who ask us for help.

The very first Bragan product grew from real experiences with problem skin, and every product we've developed since has been shaped by listening carefully to customers living with eczema, dermatitis and sensitive skin.

Discover how real customer experiences continue to shape every Bragan product

Final Thoughts

Perioral dermatitis is a distinct inflammatory facial rash that can resemble acne, eczema or rosacea. Recognising its characteristic distribution, reviewing possible triggers and obtaining an accurate diagnosis are important first steps.

If symptoms are persistent, spreading, painful or close to the eyes, seek advice from a GP, pharmacist or dermatologist. An accurate diagnosis can help you avoid unsuitable products and identify the most appropriate next steps.