In a series of unfiltered photos on Instagram, Bachelor alum Kristina Schulman revealed her experience with perioral dermatitis, a skin condition that she’s been “quietly dealing with for years.”
“Raw, emotional, and unfiltered,” Schulman captioned the photos. “This morning I woke up feeling down, overwhelmed, sad, and defeated. For the past few days, I stayed quiet and off social media in hopes that I’ll reach [a] mental state where I can share my skin’s journey + progress—that progress hasn’t come… just yet.”
She went on to explain that she’s been privately managing her perioral dermatitis but now wanted to open up and share what’s been going on. “In late December of 2020 many of you have responded to my IG stories with your own personal struggles and what has helped you to either cope or treat the condition,” she said. “I listened, researched, and took the advice that seemed fitting for me.” Her photos show that there have been “hopeful times” when her condition cleared up temporarily, but she hit an “all-time low” this April.
Perioral dermatitis is a type of rash that usually appears as small red or flesh-colored bumps. The condition can also cause itching, burning, and dry or flaky skin. The rash typically appears around the mouth, eyes, and nose, but it can also affect the genitals, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) explains.
Once diagnosed, perioral dermatitis treatment will start with figuring out what might be irritating your skin, such as corticosteroid creams. From there, your dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic, and they might also suggest you change up your skin-care routine, prioritizing gentle products that are friendly to sensitive skin.
However, perioral dermatitis is often confused for other similar skin conditions, such as acne and eczema. So it’s crucial to get a correct diagnosis before trying to treat it on your own. And if you feel like you’ve been trying to treat what seems like eczema or acne without success, see a dermatologist to make sure it’s not actually something else, like perioral dermatitis.
For Schulman, her treatment process involved tweaking her makeup routine to remove potentially irritating products, sticking to an ultra-minimalist skin-care routine, and switching to hypoallergenic laundry detergent. “But here we are, still struggling with random flare-ups that hurt, itch, burn, feel very dry and tight,” she said. Although Schulman initially had some success with her doctor’s treatment plan in 2019, it didn’t last more than a few months. Now she has another appointment to see her dermatologist—and she’s going in ready. “This time I hope to be better prepared and offer some knowledge in return,” she said.
“While I know I am not alone in this or with this condition (which is very tricky to treat since triggers are different for each individual),” Schulman wrote, “I hope we can create a community where we can openly share our journey and success stories.”
Related:
- 7 Derm-Approved Tips to Make Life With Sensitive Skin a Little Bit Easier
- Perioral Dermatitis Might Be What’s Causing Your Red Face Rash
- Why Do the Corners of My Mouth Crack—And How Do I Fix It?