Perioral Dermatitis Zero Therapy: The only solution to get rid of over-cared skin forever

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Perioral dermatitis is also called oral rose or stewardess disease. It is an inflammation of the face, usually around the mouth. Hence the name perioral dermatitis ( perioral = around the mouth; derma = skin, itis = inflammation). In the later course, perioral dermatitis can also affect the area around the eyes. Here you can find out more about perioral dermatitis and its symptoms and causes .
The main causes are too many or incorrect cosmetic products and stress. Therefore, in order to treat perioral dermatitis, it is necessary to completely avoid skin care and make-up for a certain period of time. The term for this is also “zero therapy” . You can find out how to stick to zero therapy and what else you can do in this article.

Consistent zero therapy is the only way to get rid of an acute stewardess illness. This means: do not use cosmetic products.

How long you shouldn't use anything depends on how much your skin reacts. You should really stick to a very strict zero therapy for at least one skin cycle. A skin cycle lasts approximately 28 days. So one month is the minimum. However, 6 weeks or a few months are recommended. The longer you keep it up, the better your skin can regenerate.

If you have perioral dermatitis, it is especially important to leave your skin alone immediately. Unfortunately, there are often recommendations on the Internet for all kinds of treatments, creams or oils that are supposed to work against perioral dermatitis.
It is extremely understandable that you are now looking for a good solution that will quickly combat the problem. Unfortunately, this is not the right way, because anti-pimple creams, active ingredient treatments or balancing oils would only aggravate your perioral dermatitis. Niacinamide , serums with soothing substances or peelings of any kind are also taboo for your skin for the time being.
Moisturizing serums with hyaluronic acid or other moisturizers would further irritate your skin in the acute phase. Even though hyaluronic acid is very skin-friendly and otherwise provides wonderful moisture, in the case of acute perioral dermatitis, hyaluron causes the stratum corneum to swell and your skin would become even more sensitive. Give yourself a little time until more is possible again.
Even the good old zinc ointment is not right now. Although zinc can otherwise work really well on pimples and inflammation. What you have now, even if you see pimples and inflammation on your skin, are not normal pimples. Your skin has seen too many active ingredients, serums, creams or oils recently that even a simple zinc ointment could be too much. Zinc (zinc oxide) always has to be dissolved in a fat and too much fat or rich butter would be irritating.
So please avoid all skin care products from now on - including treatments and immediate aids! If your skin is as restless as it is now, you probably want to do something about it. However, the right thing to do in this case is to be patient, stay calm and do nothing.

For your skin, zero therapy means that you should only wash with water, because the “over-cared for” skin must not be put under any further strain. You heard right… just water. That sounds really harsh. And you should also avoid using a cleanser during zero therapy if you can. The topic of cleaning is of course very individual. If you have very oily skin that quickly develops new deposits, you can clean it every now and then with a very mild cleanser that does not contain strong surfactants, active ingredients and moisturizers. Pay close attention to your skin's feedback, that's really crucial here.

Actually, you should always wear sun protection during the day.
In zero therapy you are now faced with a dilemma. Your skin is so irritated that it will also react to the sunscreen. We cannot generally recommend foregoing sun protection. However, if you are able to avoid the sun for a few weeks, you can consider whether you want to avoid sunscreen for a few weeks to allow your skin to regenerate.
When you use sunscreen or start using it again, make sure that it does not contain excessive moisture, vegetable oils or butters, contains no active ingredients, and does not contain irritating fragrances of any kind. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be quite difficult when it comes to sun protection. Especially if you prefer natural cosmetic sun protection. When it comes to vitamin C, it's best to see individually how it works. Vitamin C derivatives are usually added to good sunscreens because they boost sun protection and thus additionally protect against oxidative stress caused by UV rays. Here it probably makes sense to accept the vitamin C derivative if it is included. The vitamin C in sunscreens is often not in such high doses. In any case, it cannot be compared with a vitamin C treatment. No worries. If you are very unsure, it is best to discuss the topic with your dermatologist. She or he can probably help you with your current skin condition and how to deal with sun protection.

You should also not wear make-up during zero therapy.

If you feel very uncomfortable some days, you can use simple mineral makeup . It should contain no bismuth oxychloride , no mica , no silica , no active ingredients and no vegetable oils. The loose minerals can be applied to redness and inflammation using a Kabuki brush. Plus point: You can wash this makeup off your face with water. If a few minerals remain on the skin, it is not a problem because minerals cannot react with the skin. It is very important that your skin does not come into contact with too much moisture, fatty butters or waxes. These are often found in natural make-up. Conventional make-up is also not an option during this time because moisturizers and active ingredients could delay healing. During the period of zero therapy, only use water for the time being. It is often claimed that abruptly stopping skin care will put additional stress on the skin. This is not true, as any further contact with cosmetic products will worsen your perioral dermatitis.

Your skin may become very dry during zero therapy. It may also start to flake over time. That's okay and intended that way. After all, the skin was over-cared for and often over-moisturized. This is the only way your skin can recover now. She's making a fresh start, so to speak.

You really shouldn't use any cosmetics on your entire face during zero therapy - not just on the areas that are visibly affected.

Experience shows that it is very difficult for many people with perioral dermatitis to maintain zero therapy. It can be a really stressful time. So make it clear to yourself: it's about ensuring that your skin can become healthy again in the long term.
It helps if you can do something different instead of your usual skin care routine and luckily there is:
A black tea mask can improve your condition. Below you will find instructions for the black tea mask.
It can also help if you find a different ritual instead of your skin care routine. You can use this right away to reduce your stress. Because stress is also an important cause of perioral dermatitis. For example, you could meditate, do breathing exercises, go for a walk or brew a special tea and consciously enjoy each morning.

Just like treatments, most skin remedies that can be found online are not a good idea for mouth rose. Tea tree oil is definitely not suitable for perioral dermatitis. It contains irritating essential oils that can damage even healthy and intact skin.

If you still need a little something to soothe you and your skin, you can make a homemade black tea compress. This calms the skin a bit.
Maybe your skin won't feel as stressed afterwards. However, ready-made masks that contain black tea are not good for your skin. Because these contain other ingredients that would currently be too much for the skin.

You can help your skin heal from the inside with anti-inflammatory foods. Of course, this makes sense at any time. There are four key steps to an anti-inflammatory diet: Reduce sugar. Fermented and fiber-rich foods support your gut and your microbiome. Good oils and fats have an anti-inflammatory effect.

We have written a special article about nutrition for perioral dermatitis . There you can find out more about which foods are particularly anti-inflammatory.

After zero therapy, you can gradually sneak skincare products back into your routine. You should proceed as carefully as possible and continually reflect on whether you might be doing too much.