Hailey Bieber Opens up About Her Perioral Dermatitis—and Shares Exactly How She Deals With a Flare Up

Though we all know Hailey Bieber for her “glazed donut” skin, even the most dewy and clear-complexioned among us will suffer from some kind of skin issue. Celebrities—and billion dollar-acquired beauty business moguls—get spots, rashes, and irritated skin too.

Dr. Mary L. Stevenson, MD at NYU Langone Health, previously defined perioral dermatitis for Vogue as “a skin condition which results in dry, flaky red skin as well as red bumps or papules. It can look like acne although it is a distinct diagnosis with some overlap in treatment. In addition it can be itchy, red, dry, and swollen.” What that looks like in reality: every couple of months, you can experience irritated, uncomfortable rashes on a concentrated area of your face (usually, the mouth) that are next to impossible to cover up, and, takes a long time to clear up. Perioral dermatitis is most common among women between the ages 25 to 49, and can last for weeks or months.

Bieber took to her Instagram Story to share her recent experience of a perioral dermatitis flare up, posting a makeup-free selfie to show the small bumps and texture on the lower half of her face. She captioned her Story saying that it “always flares when I’m traveling a lot, sleep deprived, hormones, the wrong SPF, new products, stress.” Derms can’t be totally sure yet what causes DP—the research isn’t there yet—but plenty of DP sufferers will say similar. (This writer included—anything from a new product gifted to me at Christmas that has some fragrance or actives I’ve been unacquainted with, to a few summer holidays, or a particularly stressful stretch of work can stir the bumpy skin).

The Rhode founder also shared what she personally does to try treat a flare-up. “So minimal,” she starts. First, Bieber rinses her face with water, and uses prescription azelaic acid—a hero product dicarboxylic acid (rather than an AHA or BHA), which helps smooth out uneven texture, fade dark spots, and unclog pores. Most crucially, it has potent anti-inflammatory effects and is often used to treat acne and rosacea. Next, she uses hypochlorous acid (which is a skin-friendly antimicrobial agent), clindamycin (an antibiotic that stops and slows bacteria), and her trusty Rhode Glazing Milk. The product contains ceramides, which act as a skin-identical lipid concentrate that, as Bieber told Vogue previously, “preps the skin to better absorb all our products, and to help restore and boost a fragile moisture barrier.”

Bieber’s routine is more or less derm-approved, with the acids and prescribed products she shouted out, checking out. Experts say to keep your skincare minimal—consider safe, stripped back skincare like CeraVe and Cetaphil, and avoid adding new products into your routine without discussing with an expert. “Gentle cleansers and/or a gentle glycolic or sulfur wash and gentle moisture from products with ceramides in them are great simple and gentle skin care regimens,” Stevenson told Vogue previously.

As much as Hailey Bieber is staying candid, you need to stay consistent!