SkinRepublic

Dear Dr. Jen,

I'm starting to see small red bumps on my face for the past few days.  I haven't changed anything in my skin regimen except for an herbal papaya soap.  A lot of my officemates use papaya soap and there has been none of this kind of reaction with them.  Is it possible that the papaya soap gives me this rash?  My skin stings every time I wash it.

Gwen

Dear Gwen,

Papaya soap is probably the biggest money-making beauty product ever sold in the Philippines.  You cannot miss it in the grocery, seeing how the soap aisles are all filled with some kind of papaya soap or another.

Before I answer your question, let us discuss papain, the active ingredient found in papaya soaps.  Papain is an enzyme used to break down protein bonds.  It breaks down peptide bonds on the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. This results in shedding of old skin, revealing fairer undamaged skin.  Papain is even used to tenderize meat, that's how effective it is.

Ultimately, by using papaya soap you are accelerating exfoliation and shedding of skin.  Overuse can of course lead to raw skin, as if you've over-scrubbed your skin with a pumice stone or loofah.

So to answer your question, yes you can definitely have an irritating contact dermatitis from use of papaya soap. As with anything, if there is any stinging experienced with any soap, make-up or cosmetic product, stop using it immediately.  This is your skin telling you that it's had enough and would instead need some tender, loving care.

To counter the red bumps, you can use a mild cortisone based cream for a few days.  It is important to shift to a mild, hypoallergenic soap for a few months until your skin recovers.

Dear Dr. Jen,

My job requires me to go out on site visits and I noticed that I get red in the eyebrow and cheek area whenever I get home.  There are plenty of white flakes along the red areas too which is very ugly to look at.  Am I allergic to wood dust, cement dust or paint?  Please help me find a way to live with it because I cannot change my job anymore.

Elliot

Dear Elliot,

Seborrheic dermatitis shows some redness and dandruff on the scalp, eyebrows, cheeks, ears and even chest area.  One thing is for sure, this is not an allergy.  So the good news is that you are NOT allergic to wood, cement or paint.

However, seborrheic dermatitis is usually a long-term condition.  The most common triggers to it are heat, cold, spicy food, stress, alcohol intake and some medical conditions (e.g. Parkinson's disease).  In your case, it is probably the heat that exacerbates your condition.

Since it is impractical to carry a portable A/C unit around at your site visits, the next best thing is to apply two kinds of creams when you find the redness start to appear.

The first medicated cream should be a mild anti-inflammatory one.  The second one should be an anti-fungal since most seborrheic dermatitis test positive for a yeast (Pityrosporum).  You will notice that the redness will usually respond in a day or two.  These medications can be applied on an "as needed" basis. Best of luck!

Dr. Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) and is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH). For information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph/. For questions or concerns, please text to: 0932 857 7070; or email to: [email protected]; or call The Freeman: (032) 2531276, or PSH: (032) 233 8620 and 232 5929. Your inquiries will be forwarded to Dr. Tan.