I have tiny red bumps around my mouth. How do I treat it?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am an 18-year-old female. I have these weird tiny bumps with redness around them on both corners of my mouth, and I also have them on both sides of my nose.

I have changed my skincare routine, but it was never like this until a few weeks ago, and it still has not gone away. I just want to know if there are any tips I can get for getting rid of them because they are not affecting my appearance.

Kindly suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Those bumps can be very annoying and confidence-shaking, and you are absolutely right, they do not look good. I will guide you regarding the best possible management.

Based on your description of tiny grouped bumps with redness around the corners of the mouth and sides of the nose, appearing after a change in skincare and persisting for weeks, this is most consistent with perioral dermatitis.

This is a very common condition in young women, and despite how it looks, it is not dangerous and is very treatable.

Perioral dermatitis typically presents as small red or pink bumps, sometimes with a sandpaper-like texture, around the mouth, nose, and occasionally the chin. It usually spares the immediate lip margin. Common triggers include

New skincare products.
Heavy moisturizers.
Makeup.
Sunscreens.
Topical steroid creams (even if used unknowingly).
Fluoride toothpaste, or over-cleansing.

Once the skin barrier is disrupted, the rash can persist if not managed correctly.

Stop all active products such as exfoliants, scrubs, retinoids, acids, essential oils, and heavy creams. For now, I strongly recommend simplifying your skincare routine.

Use only a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser once or twice daily, along with a very light, non-comedogenic moisturizer containing Olea Europaea fruit oil, Glycerin, Pentylene glycol.

Avoid topical steroid creams completely; even if they temporarily reduce redness, they worsen this condition in the long run.

I also recommend switching to a non-fluoridated toothpaste for a few weeks, as this can be a possible contributing factor.

For treatment, apply either topical Metronidazole gel 0.75 percent or Azelaic acid 20 percent cream (Skinoren). Use a pea-sized amount at bedtime only, under a layer of moisturizer, for three to four weeks.

Please do not worry, this condition is common, reversible, and absolutely fixable.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.