★★★★★
A little history: I was diagnosed with Perioral Dermatitis several years ago (after first being misdiagnosed with Rosacea, and changing dermatologists as a result). I had been treating it for a long time with topical corticosteroids prescribed by the original dermatologist, but every time I stopped using the corticosteroids, the PD came back (which, I later learned, is typical - the corticosteroids actually make the PD worse). The new dermatologist prescribed a non-steroidal ointment called Protopic, as well as the antibiotic Doxycycline. After two 14-day courses of Doxycycline and twice-daily applications of Protopic, my PD was gone. (Note, I'm not vouching for the safety or advisability of either of these medications... only stating that they resolved my condition at the time.)
Fast forward a couple of years, and my daughter developed what looked like PD under her nose and around her mouth. The dermatologist prescribed Protopic, and it worked like a charm. She and I would both have occasional recurrences, but we would apply a bit of Protopic and the PD would disappear quickly. At that rate our tube of Protopic lasted a really long time. But...
A few months ago, our Protopic finally ran out We went to the dermatologist and got a scrip for more. But this year, my insurance did not want to cover it. The dcctor got it authorized for me, but my particular benefit plan still required that the cost go against my deductible... over $300 for a 30-gram tube! I had recently become a fan of Earthclinic, so I came here to look for less-expensive remedies.
A lot of people here had success with Apple Cider Vinegar, but my daughter complained too much about the stinging and the smell. Yogurt felt soothing but didn't diminish the PD. Grapefruit Seed Extract didn't seem to make a difference either. I then tried calendula cream, and that seemed to help at first, but then the PD got worse again. I also tried a homeopathic eczema product called Florasone, but the improvement was minimal and temporary. After weeks of this trial-and-error (and my now-desperate daughter pleading with me to break down and buy the Protopic), I finally tried Neem oil. My daughter had trouble with the intense nutty smell, so I applied it while she was sleeping. In the morning the improvement was dramatic. After 3 or 4 nights, her PD was completely gone. That was a little over a week ago. I have continued to use it on her at night to make sure the PD stays away.
I purchased my Neem oil at a big natural foods chain store (the one some of my friends affectionately call "Whole Paycheck"). The version I got is a raw one that comes in a very small jar (I would say it's a little larger than a container of lip balm). It has a melting point right around room temperature, so during the winter it was semi-solid in the jar, like an ointment or balm. Now that the weather has warmed up a bit, it's a liquid oil. The effectiveness seems the same whether it's melted or not.
