I ditched the "for sensitive skin" body wash my local dermatologist originally recommended because it seemed to be making things worse.
After that I tried a slue of other alternatives, all supposedly for sensitive skin or even specifically for rosacea. All of them were disappointments. I did a little more research about natural cleansing techniques and tried the oil method there for a while. Superior to the drug store solutions for sure but the main way it cleanses is through steam and my face wasn't havin that.
The fancy Chicago dermatologist recommend I use dandruff shampoo to wash my face. I guess to help with the dry, flaky characteristics. I tried it and it did address that particular aspect but the bumps and the redness weren't getting any better. After some further investigation in "google" searching perioral dermatitis I discover that a popular chemical in health/beauty products called Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) should be avoided because it's a known skin irritant. I grab my bottle of dandruff shampoo. Sure enough, SLS ... right there in the ingredient list. Ugh! Seriously?!
I manage to find some non-irritating, workable solutions for face cleansing:
- Alcohol Free Witch Hazel: use it on a cotton ball to remove dirt and oils all over the face, no water needed.
- Young Living Essential Oils Orange Blossom Facial Wash: Just a pinky fingernail amount is enough. I find this is great for removing eye makeup (if that's something you can tolerate) whereas the witch hazel doesn't do a great job of that.
- Nobel Formula 2% Pyrithione Zinc with Emu Bar Soap seems to keep things calm. I use it in the morning only (when there's no makeup to remove) since it can't be used around the eyes.
After that I tried a slue of other alternatives, all supposedly for sensitive skin or even specifically for rosacea. All of them were disappointments. I did a little more research about natural cleansing techniques and tried the oil method there for a while. Superior to the drug store solutions for sure but the main way it cleanses is through steam and my face wasn't havin that.
The fancy Chicago dermatologist recommend I use dandruff shampoo to wash my face. I guess to help with the dry, flaky characteristics. I tried it and it did address that particular aspect but the bumps and the redness weren't getting any better. After some further investigation in "google" searching perioral dermatitis I discover that a popular chemical in health/beauty products called Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) should be avoided because it's a known skin irritant. I grab my bottle of dandruff shampoo. Sure enough, SLS ... right there in the ingredient list. Ugh! Seriously?!
I manage to find some non-irritating, workable solutions for face cleansing:
- Alcohol Free Witch Hazel: use it on a cotton ball to remove dirt and oils all over the face, no water needed.
- Young Living Essential Oils Orange Blossom Facial Wash: Just a pinky fingernail amount is enough. I find this is great for removing eye makeup (if that's something you can tolerate) whereas the witch hazel doesn't do a great job of that.
- Nobel Formula 2% Pyrithione Zinc with Emu Bar Soap seems to keep things calm. I use it in the morning only (when there's no makeup to remove) since it can't be used around the eyes.