My Daily Battle: Perioral Dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis is a condition I have been struggling with over the past four years. I have tried all of the common treatments, listed below, to no avail. In fact, what was once just a pesky rash affecting my nose, manifested into an uncontrollable all-over-the-body itch.
Below, I have listed the side effects of each "remedy" for perioral dermatitis. Please consider this as your warning; me as the guinea pig. Not only have the treatments below proven unsuccessful, but I believe they are the direct cause of my progressive skin irritation, elevated bilirubin levels, and developing allergies. I also believe there is a candida/leaky gut issue, but I have yet to prove this theory.

Definition:
Perioral dermatitis is related to acne vulgaris, consisting of red pustules that appear around the nostrils, perioral area (around the mouth), or perioccular area (around the eyes). It usually affects women between the ages of 20 and 45. It is not uncommon, and has a tendency to recur in individuals who have had it once.

Causes:
Although the cause is unknown, there is a link between perioral dermatitis and chloride or fluoride exposure, strong prescription (halogenated) cortisone creams/ointments, and asthma inhalers. (http://www.drbaileyskincare.com/blog/tips-for-treating-perioral-dermatitis)

Treatments:

1. Steriods/Cortisone creams

An anti-inflammatory agent that causes resistance to the medicine (meaning you must constantly increase the amount to induce the same affect), thinning of the skin, easy bruising, permanent dilation of certain blood vessels, burn marks on skin, liver and kidney damage and a weakened immune system.

2. Anti-bacterials

Doug Kauffman, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/06/18/antibiotics-bacteria.aspx,"every time you swallow antibiotics, you kill the beneficial bacteria within your intestines. When you do so, you upset the delicate balance of your intestinal terrain. Yeasts grow unchecked into large colonies and take over, in a condition called dysbiosis.
Yeasts are opportunistic organisms. This means that, as the intestinal bacteria die, yeasts thrive, especially when their dietary needs are met. They can use their tendrils, or hyphae, to literally poke holes through the lining of your intestinal wall. This results in a syndrome called leaky gut. Yeasts are not the only possible cause of this syndrome. Some scientists have linked non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as naproxen and ibuprofen to the problem. Given their ability to alter intestinal terrain, antibiotics also likely contribute to leaky gut syndrome.
In addition to possibly causing leaky gut syndrome, I believe that parasitic yeasts can also cause you to change what you eat in that they encourage you to binge on carbohydrates including pasta, bread, sugar, potatoes, etc. So, it should come as no surprise that weight gain counts as one of the telltale signs of antibiotic damage and subsequent yeast overgrowth.
By altering the normal terrain of the intestines, antibiotics can also make food allergies more likely. An array of intestinal disorders can ensue, as well. Sadly, most doctors claim ignorance concerning their patients’ intestinal disorders rather than admit that the drugs they themselves prescribed actually caused the disorders to begin with.
According to the 2001 Allergy and Asthma Report, the first immunodeficiency syndrome was identified in 1952. This document tells us that since that time, "more than 95 immune syndromes have been identified, with new conditions coming to light every day." The report goes on to say that research indicates that "increased antibiotic use in human infancy may be associated with increased risk of developing allergies."

3. Antifungals

Antifungal medications can cause life-threatening side effects when a person utilizes the oral or injectable forms. Besides possibly causing serious harm to a person's life, antifungals can also be hazardous to your health when combined with other medications.Therefore, a person taking or utilizing an antifungal must be very careful of all the medications she is taking. Affects liver and kidney function and can cause liver damage or failure, particularly when combined with alcohol or certain medicines. Antifungals weaken the heart's ability to contract, leading to heart failure.