Table of contents:
- What is perioral dermatitis?
- What causes the red rash around the child's mouth?
- Can I treat a red rash around the mouth with steroid creams?
- So, how do you deal with a red rash around your child's mouth?
Every parent must understand very well about the health condition of their children. The reason is, your little one's body is still susceptible to infection because of dirty hands, snacks carelessly, or often inserting fingers or objects into his mouth. One result is a red rash around the child's mouth.
According to the medical world, this is known as perioral dermatitis. So, how do you deal with a red rash around your child's mouth? Come on, find out through the following reviews.
What is perioral dermatitis?
Perioral dermatitis is one of the most common types of inflammation around the mouth. Sometimes, perioral dermatitis is mistaken for eczema.
Judging from the symptoms, eczema looks like a red rash, dry skin, and triggers itching. Perioral dermatitis generally has the same characteristics, but the itching tends to trigger a burning sensation around the mouth.
The difference between eczema and perioral dermatitis can also be seen from the location of the rash. Eczema can appear anywhere, including on the hands, feet, neck, chest, and scalp. Meanwhile, perioral dermatitis mostly appears around the mouth and skin folds around the nose of the child.
What causes the red rash around the child's mouth?
The cause of perioral dermatitis is not known with certainty. However, this often occurs in children who have a habit of licking their lips. The reason is, the mouth and saliva contain a lot of bacteria so that they can infect the area around their lips.
Apart from licking the lips, a red rash around the mouth can also occur due to the use of steroids, nasal sprays containing corticosteroids, or toothpaste that contains high fluorine.
Basically, perioral dermatitis can go away on its own without any treatment. However, this problem can reappear after weeks or even months after the red rash goes away.
Can I treat a red rash around the mouth with steroid creams?
The problem of a red rash that appears around the mouth of a child cannot be underestimated. Because, this can trigger itching that makes children feel uncomfortable when doing activities.
If you are accustomed to using steorid cream to treat this type of skin rash, then immediately stop using the cream. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD), steroid creams can make perioral dermatitis worse and not go away, as reported by Healthline.
When you choose not to use steroids, the red rash around the child's mouth will look even worse. But without realizing it, the skin rash will gradually reduce and actually make your little one feel better.
So, how do you deal with a red rash around your child's mouth?
If your child has a red rash around the mouth, immediately forget about all kinds of creams that you usually use for your little one. Choose a special facial soap for children that is gentle and does not contain fragrances until the red rash gradually subsides. Also avoid using toothpaste that contains fluorine to help reduce symptoms.
After that, immediately take your little one to the doctor to get the right treatment. The doctor may prescribe various types of drugs such as:
- Oral antibiotics, for example azithromycin
- Topical antibiotics, such as metronidazole and erythromycin
- Topical creams: pimecrolimus or tacrolimus cream
However, some medications used to treat perioral dermatitis can make a child's skin more sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, protect the child's skin from exposure to the sun for too long so that the red rash around the mouth does not get worse.
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