I Still Don't Know What This Is

Not long after being diagnosed with Perioral Dermatitis, I started to develop other skin related issues. I started to get really swollen eyes. I'm not sure exactly when it began but, I am pretty sure I just woke up one morning and it was there. As soon as I opened my eyes in the morning, I could tell if they were swollen or not. I could feel it and sometimes my eyes couldn't open all the way.

Some days it would be one eye, other days it would be both, or my eyes wouldn't be swollen at all. It was really random, and every night when I went to bed I always thought, "Well I wonder what's going to happen when I wake up!" Along with the swelling, they started to become red and irritated. 

When I woke up the morning of the above photo, I pretty much had enough. I was applying cold compresses, trying to sleep with my head slightly elevated, applied hydrocortisone cream generously and nothing was working. I went over to my college's health clinic and the Nurse Practitioner prescribed me Elidel. FYI- that sh*t stings! It was harsh but again, I felt like I was running out of options. As I've mentioned in my previous post, I am in nursing school. I had clinicals to attend where I needed and wanted to make a good first impression with every nurse, doctor, manager that I met. That's hard to do when you look like you have some sort of "I didn't get enough sleep/pink eye/ I got in a fist fight/I don't know what the hell it is" thing. If my memory serves correct, I believe I used that for a week or two and it helped calm down the major swelling and redness. 

Along with the swelling and redness of my eyelids, I started to develop this rash under my eyes. It was almost like a raised hive. It itched and burned and was just not cute.

Like the swelling of my eyelids, every day was a different scenario. I continued the regimen of cold compress and hydrocortisone cream. It helped but, it didn't go away completely. I started researching, and talking to other health care professionals, and came to the realization that maybe it was a contact allergy. Back to the dermatologist I went! I ended up doing a patch test. My patch test consisted of 60 (I think) of the most common chemicals that cause a contact allergy. Many of the chemicals or substances can be found in shampoos, conditioners, make-up, soaps, nail polish etc. At this point, I had already changed all my products so I didn't keep my hopes up. 

The allergens are applied to patches which are then applied to your back. They are then numbered and outlined, and secured with hypoallergenic tape (I asked because there's no way I was going through this to realize I was allergic to the damn tape). I went back to the office to have them checked the next day, and then two days after. During this time I had to avoid showering, and getting sweaty so the patches wouldn't fall off. I also had to stop taking antihistamines a week prior to the application of the patches. So, out of the sixty most common chemicals and substances that cause contact dermatitis guess how many I was allergic to? ONE. I honestly wasn't surprised. I didn't save the paper about the chemical but, I went home and checked every single one of my products, and none of them had it as an ingredient.

         

The next step I took to figure out what the hell was going on with my face was going to an allergist. That included more allergy testing but this time it was a skin prick test. This test is done to identify allergies such as dust, mold, pollen, animals, etc. I believe this test consisted of 40 lancet pricks. It didn't hurt but man was it itchy! Once they are all done with the pricks, you have to wait 15 minutes before the doctor can read them. It basically felt like my back was on fire and I wanted to itch it so bad. My awesome best friend went to the appointment with me and I basically made her blow air on my back to relieve the itching. But hey, that's what friends are for! 

When the 15 minutes are up, the reactions are read and measured on a scale of 1-4. I had a reaction to the majority of the allergens. I expected this going in because I already have bad allergies. I'm certainly allergic to cats, dust, mold, pollen and I pretty much sneeze all day every day (Thanks Mom). The skin prick test didn't give me any answers other than my allergist suggesting I should look into a more in depth patch testing. 

So in short, that's my mystery! My eyes still become swollen from time to time and I still get the skin rash occasionally. I have yet to do more allergy testing but, I am definitely looking into it. Especially food allergy testing after learning recently that I am allergic to mangos. Yeah, that wasn't fun.

Questions:

• Has anyone had similar situations or experiences? Please comment and share because I would love to hear them!

• Have you had allergy testing? 

Spring Break Scenes

To say I enjoyed my last Spring Break would be an understatement. It was perfect! The past few weeks leading up to the break were really hectic with school. Too many sleepless nights with lots of classes, studying, homework, clinicals, and every other lovely part of nursing school. The library is starting to become my second home. So, basically I was more than ready for a week of relaxation and fun! I thought it would be nice to share a more uplifting and happy post since my previous ones have been all health related.

 

I am pretty sure the minute I walked through the door at my house I sat down and ate a bowl of my mom's kale soup. She makes the best kale soup, and always makes plenty for me to take back to college. Thanks ma! We also spent some time in the kitchen making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. It's one of our favorite things to do together.

I went bowling with a group of friends at the Orleans Bowling Center. They have a bar attached to the bowling alley which means you can drink while you bowl! It was my first time trying Samuel Adams Cold Snap and I am now quite the fan. I can't remember my bowling score but, I believe I came in third out of group our of five. Not too shabby! 

The next morning I stopped by my favorite coffee shop on all of Cape Cod, The Hot Chocolate Sparrow. I love this coffee shop so much, and not only for their great coffee. They make some seriously good homemade chocolate. From truffles to fudge to cakes and pies. They have everything!

On a beautiful warm day, I met up with a good friend of mine to walk to the knob (Hi Casey!). We assumed most of the snow was going to be melted and/or the path was going to be shovel. We were so wrong! It was basically a hike and falling knee deep into snow every couple steps. It was still fun and we were able to catch up with lots of laughs included. And the view was so worth it.

  

I was able to get in lots of play and snuggle time with my favorite little dog. It's really crazy how happy a dog can make you and how coming home after a bad day is made a thousand times better when they greet you with a wagging tail. I can't imagine my life without a dog. 

I did not open a nursing textbook or my notes once… and it felt damn good too. I did get a lot of stuff done related to the blog and wrote some drafts for future posts. With some help from an Angry Orchard, of course. 

I went to the Chatham Squire for the first time. I had the spicy popcorn shrimp and it was delicious! After I went and saw the seals at Lighthouse Beach. There had to have been at least 100 of them. It was a beautiful Cape Cod day. The highlight of my day in Chatham was getting my first massage. Oh. My. God. Why did I wait 23 years to get one? It was the most relaxing thing I have ever done. It really helped my joints where my rheumatoid arthritis is really bad; in my shoulders, fingers, and feet. I'm convinced that if I could get a massage every week I wouldn't need medication. (HA, I wish!) 

         

My birthday was over Spring Break too. I got those lovely tulips from a friend of mine. I love tulips, they are one of my favorite flowers. To my surprise, they lasted well over a week! The morning of my birthday I had a sweet treat for breakfast (because calories don't count on your birthday). I had a blueberry crumble from the French bakery, Maison Villatte in Falmouth. It was the perfect way to start my birthday. 

After, I went to Chappaquoit Beach to check out the crazy icebergs. I think everyone is calling it the Cape Cod Apocalypse. I have never seen anything like it. It looked like Alaska. I brought my new selfie stick that I received for my birthday and it was great for taking pictures. Who said you need to go someone warm and tropical on Spring Break? There's awesome beaches on Cape Cod too! My birthday ended with a delicious homemade dinner, the best carrot cake and a night out on the town with friends. It was the perfect day.

My Spring Break was filled with all sorts of fun and relaxing activities. I came back to my apartment at school ready to take on the second half of my last semester of nursing school. I always get a little sad leaving home to go back to school because I just really love my little town. I was procrastinating leaving and my Dad said, "Suck it up. You got eight weeks left." He was so right. And with that I am off to kick some ass in these last 60 days before graduation! 

Question:

• How was your Spring Break? Tell me what you did! 

My Favorite Products for Perioral Dermatitis

I have spent a huge amount of time and money researching, buying, and testing products that work for my sensitive skin. It took a long time but, I believe I finally found products and a skin care routine that works for me. It was a lot of trial and error and frustrating at times. So, I thought I would share all the products that work for me in hopes of helping anybody else who is in the same boat as I was!

Hair- The first hair products I used without sodium lauryl sulfate in them were from Acure Organics through iherb. I couldn't find anything in the stores so I bought the Moroccan Argan Stem Cell Shampoo and the Moroccan Argan Stem Cell Conditioner. They smelt heavenly, almost like an almond scent. The shampoo took some time to get used to because when a product doesn't have SLS in it, it doesn't lather and foam up. I would totally buy these products again, I just can't find them in any stores near me, and I'm not a huge online shopper. I also have a leave in conditioner/detangeler from Acure Organics that works wonders (I couldn't find it online but it is in the top middle of the above photo). The second round of hair products I tried were from Yes To. I initially found them at Target but, since then I have seen them at CVS also.

I have tried the cucumber , carrot, and coconut shampoos and conditioners. I love them all. If I had to pick, I think the coconut would be my favorite for hair products. Yes To products are always 95% natural, and free of parabens, petroleum, phthalates and SLS. They certainly fit the bill for what I was looking for. 

Face- When I first shared my perioral dermatitis story, I mentioned Osmia Organics. The woman who owns the company also suffers from PD. I bought the soothing starter set to hopefully gain control over my skin. I really enjoyed these products. The packaging was simple and cute. The scents were really gentle and it felt nice putting ingredients on my skin that I could pronounce and were all natural. I used these products for a while and didn't see a huge improvement in my skin. I stopped using any and all products on my face for about two months per my dermatologists recommendation. When I decided my face needed some treatment I turned to my Osmia products again. When I woke up in the morning after using the soothing starter kit at night, my face completely broke out. My PD looked red, raw and irritated. I decided at that moment, that Osmia products weren't for me, and that's okay! I heard and read a lot of successful stories with women who have PD and Osmia worked wonderful for them. I still use the Black Clay Soap because I love it! I don't use it on my face but, I have Keratosis Pilaris on the back of my arms, and the soap has really helped to keep that at bay. I use it when I shower daily.

Since I love Yes To hair products so damn much, I figured I should give their facial products a shot. I first tried the cucumber line because it is for sensitive skin. I bought the gentle milk cleanser and the soothing daily calming moisturizer. These products were a game changer. The cleanser is so gentle and soft. The moisturizer is hydrating and leaves my skin feeling baby soft. I seriously can't even explain how much I freakin' love these products. I did try the tomato collection, and I don't think I will buy it again. It made my skin feel really dry(probably because its for acne prone skin) and my face was beat red after using it.

Every night I use the cucumber cleanser and moisturizer, and I also use the blueberry eye treatment. The skin under and around your eyes is extremely thin and delicate so I like to make sure I am treating them appropriately. I use the grapefruit scrub weekly as an exfoliator. Can you tell how much I love Yes To products? I was so happy to finally find something that worked for me. I honestly don't think I will buy anything else. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I LOVE YOU, YES TO!

I hate to admit it but, there was one product of Yes To that I just didn't like. It was Cucumber Eye Makeup Removing Pads. They stung my face and kind of burned the area around my eyes. I'm not sure why so I just stopped buying them. I recently bought the Neutrogena Naturals Makeup Remover Wipes. I wanted something that could remove my makeup before I wash my face. These work wonderfully! They are soft, gentle, easily remove all my makeup, and have a fruity citrus smell.

Body- More Yes To products! Are you surprised? I was serious about the whole "If it ain't broke" thing. I love their hair and facial products so much so why not try their body wash? I think I have tried all their body washes and I have nothing bad to say about any of them. Currently right now I am using the grapefruit and coconut. 

Lips- My lips are always dry and pealing. Another wonder of Sjogrens! I also seem to have reactions to all different kind of chapsticks, lip glosses, etc. so I just use the same products I know work for me. I am still on the lookout for a lip product that hydrates my lips so they aren't cracking and pealing all the time. 

   

I always, always have Vaseline on me. I really like the little lip balm. I have one in my purse, my car, on my nightstand, pretty much everywhere. I also recently discovered Kiehls Lip Balm. There's a funny story about this lip balm. My brother and his girlfriend recently moved out and one day when I went into their closet to take some hangers, I happened to stumble across this. I figured they left behind all the stuff they didn't want so I snagged it :) Thanks Jim and Renee! I really do love it. The only ingredients are Petrolatum and Octinoxate, which is a sunscreen. 

Other- 

For me, it is important to use a hand soap without SLS. It just makes sense because if I used a regular soap and then touched my face, I would have a reaction. I found this one at whole foods. 

 

There ya have it! Clearly I have a slight obsession with Yes To products. They have cleared up my PD so much, which makes me hesitant to try anything else. I 100% recommend all these companies and products I have mentioned. I hope they work for you and your skin! 

Question 

• What are your favorite products for Perioral Dermatitis and/or sensitive skin?

How I Manage My Perioral Dermatitis

Since being diagnosed with PD, I have tried so many different things to try and get my skin under control. Whether it was skin care products, beauty products, food, medicines, I felt like I have tried it all. Over the last year and a half, I believe I finally figured out what works best for me and my skin. 

• Change your toothpaste. Ingesting fluoride can cause skin rashes, such as Perioral Dermatitis. You can read more about fluoride here. Simply changing my toothpaste alone had a big impact on my PD that bordered my lip line. Also another tip: brush your teeth before you wash your face! I use Jason's Powersmile Peppermint and I love it. The texture takes a little while to get used to and when I am done brushing my teeth I don't get that overwhelming minty fresh feeling but, it is so worth it.

• Throw away all products with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLS is a detergent and a surfactant, which essentially forms a lather. It is found in all products; shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, toothpaste, make-up, the list could go on. I immediately got rid of all my products that contained this ingredient, and when on a hunt to find new products without it. Not only did it drastically improve my skin but, I really love the products I have been using. (I'll be sharing all my products in another post!) Here is more information about SLS.

• Drink up. Water, that is. I'm going to break this down real simple. Skin is an organ, and organs are made up of cells. And cells are made up of water. Without water, organs won't be able to function properly. YOU NEED WATER. If you have PD, your skin is basically screaming at you for hydration. I drink massive amounts of water on a daily basis (the one good thing about Sjogrens!). My skin always feels better when I increase my water consumption, and I am doing the rest of my body a favor because water is a major component for overall good health. 

• Eat with a fork. Okay, this may sound silly but, I am completely serious. Whenever I eat real spicy, hot, sweet, or sour food, my lips and the skin around it become irritated. I didn't eliminate these types of foods from my diet completely because lets be honest, I love me some Franks hot sauce, and a juicy green apple (ok and sour patch kids!). I did start to eat them less and when I ate them, I used a fork instead of directly biting into an apple, burrito, or chicken wing. Basically any food that you would bite into, don't… use a fork. I promise you it will make a difference. 

• Stop touching your face. I struggle big time with this one. It's hard! When you see a pimple, you want to pop it. When you see dry skin, you want to pick it. Just don't. It will aggravate the already irritated PD, making it much worse. Also, where have your hands been all day? Yes, you may have washed your hands with this lovely lavender smelling soap but, guess what? That soap probably has SLS in it. Perioral dermatitis wants to be left alone, so try your hardest not to touch your face.

• Less is more. Let your skin breath every once in a while. We all want to look our best, so we put on make-up every day, and get into a strict skin care routine to ultimately have beautiful glowing skin. When dealing with PD, sometimes it is best to just give your skin a break. Stop using make-up, skin care products, moisturizers, etc, and just wash your face with warm water for a few days. If I feel a flare coming on, I stop putting any and all products on my face and my skin really does thank me for it. 

There ya have it. My top six tips for managing Perioral Dermatitis. I kept tract of things I changed and did to better manage my PD, and these were the modifications that improved my skin. Everyone is different. What worked for me, might not work for you. Be patient, keep track of the changes you make, and take it one day at a time. 

Question

• What changes have you made to manage your PD?
• For friends without PD, what changes have you made to better your skin?