Before we get into all of it — I just want to say this first: you are beautiful. A little dry, flaky skin on your chin does not change that. Everyone deals with skin stuff, especially after 40, and the worst thing you can do is panic and throw every product you own at it. Less is more. Simple is better.
And the best thing you can do is go see your dermatologist and find out exactly what you’re dealing with — because with perioral dermatitis specifically, you’re likely going to need a prescription to actually clear it. More on that in a minute.
I moved back to Florida after years in Colorado, and my skin was not thrilled about it. Different climate, different water, different everything — and not long after I got here, I started getting dry, flaky patches on my chin that just would not go away. It drove me bonkers.
I tried different moisturizers. Some helped a little. Some made it worse. I tried guessing my way through it, which — for the record — is a terrible skincare strategy.
Finally, in the summer of 2021, I went to see a dermatologist at Arsenault Dermatology and got my answer.
Perioral dermatitis.
So What Is Perioral Dermatitis, Exactly?
peri·or·al der·ma·ti·tis (per-ee-OR-ul dur-muh-TY-tis)
Despite the name, it doesn’t have to show up right at your lips or in the corners of your mouth.
Mine shows up below my lower lip — right in the center, or slightly to the left or right — and along my chin line. That little patch just under your mouth? That’s my zone.
Perioral dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition that can cause persistent dryness, flaking, irritation, and sometimes tiny bumps around the lower face.
It can look like:
- dry skin
- acne
- eczema
- irritation from products
And that’s exactly why people accidentally make it worse.
It’s most common in women. Of course it is.
Nobody fully understands what causes it, but known triggers include:
- fluoride toothpaste
- whitening toothpaste
- harsh skincare products
- over-exfoliation
- steroid creams
- hormonal shifts
Which — hello, perimenopause.
What my Dermatologist Gave Me
She prescribed two things:
- clindamycin (a topical antibiotic)
- metronidazole (an anti-inflammatory cream also used for rosacea)
And she told me something I now repeat to anyone dealing with this:
Even when it looks like it’s gone — keep using it a little longer. And you don’t need to slather it on. A little goes a long way.
It cleared up. I moved on with my life. And then it came back.
Because that’s what perioral dermatitis does.
It’s just there
A small patch on my chin. One spot clears and another pops up nearby. It’s not terrible — it’s just enough to be annoying, and just stubborn enough to not go away on its own.
This past January I started getting it again. I pulled out my clindamycin, started using it, and knew I had to figure out what set it off this time.
Playing Detective: What Was Setting It Off
I actually used ChatGPT to help me brainstorm. I laid out my whole skincare and daily routine and asked what could be causing it, then started eliminating things one by one.
So annoying
Here’s what I found.
Whitening Toothpaste
This is one of the biggest triggers people do not talk about enough.
Fluoride, whitening agents, and tartar control ingredients can all irritate sensitive skin around the mouth.
I switched to Sensodyne and haven’t looked back.
My face did not miss the whitening version at all.
A New Lip Gloss
My skin was not having it.
Replaced with plain Vaseline on my lips instead. Gentle, simple, does the job.
Mouthwash
I swapped to ACT Mouthwash — the green one — because it skips some of the whitening ingredients my skin clearly hates.
Salicylic Acid Face Wash
During a flare-up, this had to go.
Salicylic acid is great for a lot of things, but not when your skin barrier is already irritated.
I switched to Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and my skin has been so happy with it that I never switched back.
Acidic Foods
Pineapple does not always agree with my face.
Highly acidic foods can aggravate perioral dermatitis for some people, especially during an active flare.
My skin absolutely lets me know.
What I Also Had to Leave Alone
I use a compounded prescription cream from MedRock Pharmacy for hormonal acne — clindamycin, spironolactone, and tretinoin — because apparently perimenopause is the gift that keeps giving.
And when perioral dermatitis acts up, that compound has to stay far away from my chin area.
It works beautifully where it belongs.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for irritated skin is just leave it alone.
The Thing That Actually Moved the Needle: Avène Cicalfate+
My aesthetician Morgana — follow her at:
— told me about Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream.
It’s fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and specifically designed for compromised, irritated skin.
I started applying it directly to the spots and things noticeably improved faster after that.
Around the same time, I also decided to try Avène Mineral Sunscreen Multi-Defense Fluid SPF 50 while I was focusing on repairing my skin barrier, and it ended up becoming a regular part of my routine too.
No breakouts. No irritation. My skin handles it beautifully.
My Current Routine — What My Skin Actually Likes
Here’s the lineup that does not start drama with my face:
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
- Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
- Avène Mineral Sunscreen Multi-Defense Fluid SPF 50
- EltaMD UV Lip Balm Sunscreen
- CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
- CeraVe AM SPF
- Sensodyne
- ACT Mouthwash
- MedRock Pharmacy compound (kept far away from flare-up zones)
- Clindamycin as needed during flare-ups
And the rule I follow when things are acting up:
No harsh actives.
No experiments.
No “maybe this miracle product will fix it.”
Gentle only.
Leave it alone and let it heal.
What I Hope You Take Away From This
This most recent flare lasted from January to April.
Three months of being patient, consistent, and methodical — slowly eliminating every possible trigger until my face finally calmed down.
Resist the urge to over-treat it. Less is more and simple is better — throwing your entire bathroom cabinet at your face will only make things worse.
Go see a dermatologist. It could be eczema, rosacea, or something else entirely, so don’t guess. Some mild cases improve just from simplifying your routine and eliminating triggers, but most people need a prescription to truly clear this. Over-the-counter products can support healing, but they’re usually not enough on their own.
Leave it alone — and that means no picking. You already know. Just don’t.
Be a detective about your triggers. Toothpaste is a huge one people overlook. So are lip products, mouthwash, face wash, and acidic foods — basically anything that regularly touches that area of your face is a suspect.
Protect your skin barrier. Avène Cicalfate+ was the thing that finally pushed my skin over the finish line. A good barrier cream when your skin is irritated is not optional — it’s essential.
My skin right now? Fantastic. For now anyways. Yours can be too.
Have you dealt with perioral dermatitis? Drop it in the comments — what triggered yours and what finally helped?
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