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Physical sunscreens with high sun protection factor may cause perioral dermatitis in children

Dietrich Abeck1, Birgitt Geisenfelder, Oliver Brandt

  • 1Office for Dermatology, Venereology and Allergy, Munich, Germany. professorabeck@mytum.de

Journal Der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG
|March 3, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Perioral dermatitis can be a chronic condition in children. Sunscreens containing micropigments may trigger this condition in children with dry skin, warranting a history of sunscreen use in diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Perioral dermatitis is a common pediatric skin condition.
  • It can become chronic if left untreated.
  • Known triggers in adults, like corticosteroids, are also relevant in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a potential link between sunscreen use and perioral dermatitis in children.
  • To identify risk factors for perioral dermatitis in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • Case series presentation of eight children with perioral dermatitis.
  • Detailed patient history including environmental and product exposures.
  • Focus on children with pre-existing dry skin.

Main Results:

  • All eight children developed perioral dermatitis after using micropigment-based sunscreens.
  • Children in the study all had dry skin.
  • This suggests a correlation between sunscreen use, dry skin, and perioral dermatitis.

Conclusions:

  • Children with dry skin may be at higher risk for developing perioral dermatitis.
  • Sunscreen use, particularly formulations with micropigments, should be considered as a potential trigger.
  • Clinicians should inquire about sunscreen use in children presenting with perioral dermatitis.

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