Dry skin can happen just about anywhere on your body, however when it develops around your mouth and nose it’s especially obvious– and frequently humiliating! This does not just happen to individuals with dry skin, either; even if your skin is oily or otherwise regular you can still experience some dryness in the mouth area.
Here we take a look at possible causes as well as what you can do to make your skin look and feel much better, quicker!
Causes of Dry Skin Around the Mouth and Nose
For some people, dry skin around the mouth and nose is a chronic, ongoing condition. For others, it can turn up relatively at random, even if the rest of their skin isn’t really dry. Although the reasons can differ depending on the individual (and it’s best to talk to a dermatologist if the concern is persistent), here are a few of the most common causes of dry skin around the mouth and nose.
- Perioral dermatitis: A condition that can look like acne, this looks like red, raised bumps around the mouth that are accompanied by dry, scaly, sensitive skin. There are theories that the overuse of topical cortisone creams, fluoridated tooth paste, or heavy lotions or creams may be responsible.
- Contact dermatitis: This takes place when something can be found in direct contact with skin and stimulates an irritation reaction. Ingredients such as scent, fragrant oils, mint, menthol (and its derivatives), citrus, and drying alcohol can all result in inflammation and dryness, and are commonly used in around-the-mouth products like tooth paste, mouthwash, lipsticks, lip-plumping products, and lip balms.
- Seborrheic dermatitis: More common in people with oily skin, this is caused by the overproduction of oil combined with inflammation from a type of yeast that happens naturally on skin. For some individuals, this yeast can lead to dry, flaky skin, according to iytmed.com. Given that there are oil glands on the sides of the nose, this can lead to the condition emerging in areas near to nose, which naturally includes the mouth.
- Environment changes, lip licking, and particular medications: Changes in weather condition, such as very cold temperatures and dry or windy conditions can cause skin to become chapped and dry. Lip licking and drooling (while you sleep; yes, it happens to everyone from time to time) are other causes, given that saliva can remove naturally-secreted oils in the mouth area that normally keep it hydrated. There are also particular medications (both topical and oral) that can lead to dry skin, such as some prescription acne medications like tretinoin and antibiotics like tetracycline.
Remedies for Dry Skin Around the Mouth and Nose
When you experience dryness in the mouth area, the best trait to do is treat it with mild skin care products without fragrance and recognized irritants, considering that these typically make dry skin even worse. If you are using a lip balm, lipstick, toothpaste, or mouthwash with a high quantity of alcohol, important oils, or mint, think about alternatives that don’t include these ingredients (such as fragrance-free lip balms and alcohol-free fluoride rinses).
When it comes to toothpaste, it can be hard to discover one that does not include some quantity of mint! You can avoid inflammation using a gentle cleanser to clean the area around your mouth after brushing to get rid of any toothpaste that may be on the outside of your mouth. Using a moisturizer for your skin type after cleaning can help seal in moisture to keep skin from getting drier throughout the day.
If skin is significantly dry to the point of cracking, a petrolatum-based product (when again, without scent or irritants) can provide the sort of heavy-duty moisture and defense skin has to recover earlier.
If the dry skin around your mouth and nose is consistent and does not seem to be getting better with moisturizers, talk to your doctor about the prospective causes, given that it might be the result of a medication you’re taking, or a medical condition that needs treatment with prescription topical products.
While dry skin around the mouth and nose can be an aggravating, often humiliating hassle, knowing its prospective causes, what to avoid, and what to use to improve its look will set you on the course to improving this irritating issue as rapidly as possible. Now that’s something to smile about!
