Perioral dermatitis

Perioral dermatitis is a new dermatological entity which occurs mostly in young women as a papular or papulovesicular erythematous skin eruption usually involving the nasolabial folds, upper lip and the chin, with a clear zone around the vermilion border of the lips. The cause of perioral dermatitis is not known, but several factors seem capable of triggering or inducing its onset, e.g. photosensitivity, prolonged use of topical fluorinated steroids, oral contraceptives, etc. The use of tetracyclines, 250 mg QID two hours before meals and preferably not in conjunction with iron supplements for three or four months, invariably results in good response with clearing of perioral dermatitis.