Talk me through teen acne options please

[AgingJuvenileBinkyHuckaback]

My DD is 13 and a half and is developing acne. When she started getting occasional spots a year ago I got her on a LaRoche Posay Effeclar regime which seemed to do some good - you can certainly tell when she's missed a day - but it's now getting worse, especially around her hairline.

What actually works? I've got a bunch of John Lewis vouchers and was considering shelling out for a Clarisonic Mia II with one brushhead for each member of the family. Would that help? I'm willing and able to shell out money for facials etc if that would actually help.

My immune system was shot due to spending my entire teens on low dose antibiotics for acne, one female relative has disastrous crater-like scarring, and one male relative was reduced to terrifying suicidal depression while on Roaccutane so I'm somewhat paranoid - although she's not (yet) at the stage when any doctor would prescribe antibios or Roaccutane.

Thanks for any advice.

[burnishedsilver]

Ds is the same. Effaclar has helped but Acnecide cream has made the biggest difference.

[burnishedsilver]

www.acnecide.co.uk/

[MyBreadIsEggy]

cne sufferer since the age of 12 right here!
My parents spent probably hundreds of pounds on products and facials etc. I tried various antibiotics (like you op) which worked until my body grew resistant to them. Topical treatments (including Acnecide) dried up the pimples but also dried the skin surrounding them to the point where it cracked and bled
At the age of 18 I gave up with all the chemicals and used natural remedies instead. Neat tea tree oil - stings like hell but dries spots out without damaging the surrounding skin, lemon juice which reduces the appearance of scarring and improves general tone of the skin, cleansing with salted water also helped
Nowadays - as long as I'm not pregnant- I have no skin issues! I'm 13 weeks pregnant with my second child at the moment and my face is blackhead central!

[Kennington]

I agree with saltwater: I used to get bad bad spots on my back and soaking in Epsom salts or regular table salt really helped.
But it needed this to be done regularly.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

Totally works! I realised that my skin looked great when I was on holiday and swimming in the sea a lot! So I started washing my face with regular table salt dissolved in warm water every evening and it had the same effect

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I bought Acnecide for my DS for a while but had to stop because the little git wiped his hands on towels and his bathrobe and it bleaches fabric so heaven knows what it does to skin.

He uses TeaTree products- Australian Body Care skin wash all over (occasional spots on his chest) , Boots teaTree (cleansing pads,night gel, back spray and the double end wand)

He has the La Roche Psay Duo (anti reddness) for when his skin isn't spotty, just marked.

[MrsT2007]

Yeah benzoyl peroxide basically gave me chemical burns (on top of the spots. Delightful!)

I think I might investigate la roche posay

[ZaZathecat]

My teens use Sudocreme at night on their spots. It doesn't prevent yhem but does dry and take the redness off the worst offenders.

[Ijustneedmycoffee]

This sounds like more a medical issue than a cosmetic one. Sounds like there's a strong family history and your DD is already climbing up the ladder of treatment.

Bring her to the GP or a private dermatologist. The aim here is to treat the acne but more so to prevent scarring. You may not like the long term antibiotics and conventional medical treatments etc but you need to look at treatments objectively (I'm not sure there's much evidence that long term antibiotics damage immune systems) and weigh up the risks against benefits. I have never come across a 'natural' remedy that has 'cured' any degree of acne.

[hollinhurst84]

If you google dr Sam bunting and acne there's some options there
She recommends (from memory!) a basic cleanser, then a treatment like benzoyl peroxide then a light moisturiser

[NaiceVillageOfTheDammed]

If you can afford it, bypass the GP and go straight to a dermatologist. Mention family history.

Aside - if the spots are mainly around hairline change shampoo and conditioner and see if the skin there clears.

I was on Roaccutane a couple of years ago. Was well monitored and skin is still good.

I now use mainly Alpha H skin products.

[AgingJuvenileBinkyHuckaback]

Thanks all. Lots of good suggestions to hold in reserve if her skin deteriorates. Sam Bunting's blogs look good.

[Blue2014]

Reducing diary products worked for me

[soapybox]

I would not hang around trying OTC remedies. Go to the GP now and she can start on the various stages of dealing with it. The protocol is that they must have had two courses of different antibiotics before they get a referral to a derm and for some people that will be enough, if not the sooner you start the sooner it will be sorted!