Doctor for Acne

It’s only harsh if you put too much on and any flare ups go down quicker than usual. You only need a tiny amount on the skin with a bit of cetraben moisturiser on top.

It can be harsh but it’s worth it, he just needs to build up to what his skin can tolerate, I seem to remember the benzoyl was really itchy for the first few uses but after that my skin got used to it, it worked for me when I had milder acne but I got really bad hormonal acne in pregnancy which only the Roaccutane fixed. Roaccutane is quite hard going but I 100% wish I had taken it sooner as bad skin has really affected me throughout my life.

Also to add I have spent thousands on skincare through my life and nothing works on acne, don’t waste your money. Benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, tretinoin or Roaccutane and a last resort is what he needs.

Use the benzoyl! Start with it every few days and build up to using daily at night. Skin will itch and may be red and flake, it also will bleach clothing and pillow case. If it gets to the point where none of the GP solutions work I would highly reccommend Roaccutane, it has been a miracle for me, clear skin for the first time in my life.

I would go take photos of it now to show the GP and then go back to GP for an antibiotic prescription . Topical products won’t do anything for cystic acne .

Try 47 skin serum. My DD has used it and it does work. There are face washes and body washes as well. It’s very gentle but does make a difference!

There are so many OTC products out there for acne with limited clinical evidence of the efficacy, you could spend a fortune on them. I would stick to what the Dr has recommends and use the benzoyl.

Ideally he should be using it regularly as a preventative measure before they get very bad (if not bad use every 2-3 days, then increase at the start of an outbreak). Then you can show the Dr if/when the benzoyl is not keeping them under control and he can move onto the next treatment step before they start scarring.

Skin accumax tablets and medical grade skincare (alumier) worked for my son

I will add, try everything before drugs with depression side effects on a teenage boy. Please. An acne solving version of the pill ruined my life for 10 years from age 15. It is now only prescribed for 1 year.

Hi. I've had it all my life and finally found something to keep under control. Mine is due to lack of protective barrier so over cleansing bad but also under cleansing bad!
I now have an LED light mask. Blue light to kill bacteria, red light to encourage cell regeneration and shrink pores. It's not cheap but it works after a few sessions. At night I put on a layer of nivea soft to sort of keep my face protected. I use antibacterial face wipes to cleanse my face at night first and only water in the morning. Try to minimise any face touching all day. Mask is by Iborria bought from amazon.

OXY 10 saved me as a teenager. 10% benzoyl peroxide. Forehead acne gone in less than a week.
Literally life-changing.
I don’t know if you can still get 10% but 5% is definitely available.
It’s amazing stuff!

Get to the GP and start the process before they get worse and potentially scar.

They will likely start him on Antibs and either epiduo or duac which can work completely or significantly reduce.

If they don't work it will be a referral to dermatology (which could take a year!) and potentially roaccutane.

We went private when we got the referral after antibs and prescribed creams stopped working as it had spread to his neck, back and chest. The roaccutane did its job but 1 year on he still has scars. Wish we had started sooner.

My son had terrible acne. He tried lots of products, but eventually was persuaded to go to the GP. He was prescribed antibiotics and a cream which made his skin very dry (and bleached pillowcases, towels, etc). It took a while, but is now greatly improved. If your boy is 17, I would encourage him to get medical help now. My son's confidence and self esteem was really impacted by acne, especially when he went to university.

OP, I understand your concerns about side effects but please note, they don't affect everyone.
I'll be honest, my brother did feel roaccatine made him feel down. But its complicated. He was already depressed by acne! If it were my DC, and we were out of options, I'd be prepared to try it, and monitor for side effects.
Your DCs results are great and he's lucky to have you.
My parents were dismissive of my DBs problems and it made him very resentful.

Try benzoyl peroxide first. Behind the counter at the pharmacy. Pair with a very soothing cleanser and moisturizer.
Then if that doesn't help then skin and me or dermatica are good if they'll treat under 18s. It's prescription grade you send pics to an online derm.

@Elliejane any update?

I didn't want to waste the GPS time over daughter's acne when she was 12 but GP said they'd rather see her and get it sorted to prevent scaring as they can't treat that.
She tried everything from the GP over a year and they referred to dermatology (she was seen in weeks) and they had two suggestions either the contraceptive pill (obviously not for a boy) or roaccutane. Daughter decided on the pill as she wasn't as keen on trying roaccutane due to needing blood tests and she'd of had to go on the pill anyway.
Luckily the pill has worked so well for her, she's not uncomfortable of embarrassed anymore, please don't think your waisting your GP's time

Yes, that’s it. It’s brilliant stuff with the matching scrub.

I took my dd to the gp for acne and they gave her some steroid cream which worked wonder

Gp will do antibiotics first. Then ref to derm once everything has been tried if it fails.

Mostly it works though. The NICE guidelines for acne are available online.

Roaccutane is last resort but I took it and it was great.

I was prescribed a low dose antibiotic for skin and it cleared amazingly so something stronger might not be needed

I've suffered with adult acne due to hormones for years. First of all sack off all the harsh chemical face washes like clerasil. It's crap and often makes acne worse as it's very irritating. Stick to a gently routine - a gentle face wash and moisturiser. I like the ordinary ones. Go and see the GP. They can give several different oral and topical antibiotics or a referral to dermatology if it's very severe.