Can anyone recommend a good cleanser for a 12 year old boy who’s starting to get whitehead spots?

[Iloveitall]

He’s mortified that he’s had a couple of spots lately and now seems to have 3 or 4 more appearing.

I used to use clearasil but wondering if it’s a bit too harsh? Is simple any good? I’ve told him to dab toothpaste on them at night but he doesn’t like to do that!

DD12 likes Cerave

Charcol facial scrub is brilliant.

My boys start with Simple foaming face wash (used in the shower each morning) and then when they're a bit older - and earn their own money - move onto MANLY face wash like Bull Dog or something.

I don't think it matters really, as long as it's being used regularly.

Thanks. I’ll look Into those. He’s had them over half term but the next lot are going to be prominent at school next week and there looks to be 3 or 4. 😬

The Bull Dog ones are nearly £5 a tube which is why I don't buy them. Simple is good enough for me, so it's good enough for them if I'm paying! 😆

La Roche Posay Effalclear range is good, it is what my dermatologist recommended to me or they also recommended the Vichy range (but I have not personally tried this).

I started using Sebamed when I was young and it cleared my skin very well. I still use it now. There is a face wash or a cleansing bar, it doesn't contain soap so doesn't clog the pores.

Use a gentle regimen. Cetaphil or Cerave cleanser, followed by a non-comedogenic moisturiser (Cetaphil and Cerave are good for this too), followed by benzoyl peroxide over all the areas that are acne-prone. Do that twice a day, and tell him not to scrub, just gently massage the cleanser.

For the benzoyl peroxide, 2.5% is best but is very hard to find in the UK. I live in the US now but used to buy it from Ebay in the UK- a big tube of the Acne.org version looks expensive at £30-£40 but it lasts and is still cheaper per application than Acnecide.

If he uses harsh products he'll end up with worse skin overall. Most of the Clearasil-type products are terrible because they are highly irritating.

Can I get these from Boots @MouseholeCat?

Nip and Fab do a great roller spot zapper once the spots have appeared. I use them on my hormonal spots and they clear up really quickly when I use this. It's expensive but the spot zapper has lasted me a year.

They also do a range of cleansers etc I believe but I've not actually tried the rest. My friend swears by them for her teen.

The skin fix spot zap is only £5.92 on Amazon. Much cheaper than I remembered. They do a whole range of teen skin products.

I second benzoyl peroxide, it clears up DS's spots whenever he gets a few. We both use clearasyl cleanser which works fine, I know people say it's harsh but it's not for me.

Effaclar contains salicylic acid which is what zaps spots. It's an excellent range for teenagers. Nip & Fab teen fix has more or less the same ingredients. If you're talking just a few hormonal spots those should do it.
If it turns into full blown acne then you want the Benzoyl. Start off with 5% though as there is nothing gentle about it.

Clinique Blemish Control range and Paula's Choice have products with the exactly the same ingredients as the Nip&Fab Teen Fix but cost loads more.

Cerave facewash with salycilic acid.

I think a lot of the cleansers aimed at teen skin are too harsh and just makes things worse. I would only be targeting salicylic acid at the spots, not using it in a cleanser.

It's expensive but you could look at Liz Earle cleanse and polish - they do a mens' version. And actually if that's ok you could look at the cheaper alternatives to it in Superdrug. Or just use something like Simple as a pp recommended.

There's also a brand called Elizabeth's Daughter. Obviously aimed at teenage girls but probably good for teenage boy skin too.

My ds has only ever used water to wash his face and has had few spots (and the ones he's had have obviously been caused by eating rubbish at college as they all disappeared in lockdown when he was home). I had blackheads throughout my teenage years and used something called Aapri facial scrub (I'd just typed that I didn't think it existed anymore but it does!)

I also don't think teens need moisturiser. Just sun protection.

my teens (boys) use bar soap to wash their faces mornings and evenings.
if they have outbreaks they use acetylsalicylic acid wash & the gel to reduce the inflammation.

sadly, whilst skincare makes outbreaks manageable it will never cure them. acne is just part of most teenager's lives.

Thanks all. Lots to look at later. I don’t want anything too harsh as don’t want to make it all worse.

www.cleanandclear.co.uk/products/deep-cleansing-lotion

This cleanser works well on DS’s skin, it’s salicylic acid based and not too harsh for him at least. On his nose only we also use a mild benzoyl peroxide cream to kill off the acne bacteria (Acnecide).

After cleansing, get him some distilled witch hazel to dab on his skin with cotton wool- you leave it on. It's cheap as chips from the chemist, you want the neat stuff that you put on bruises instead of products containing witch hazel. It's brilliant for calming acne and got rid of my DH's very stubborn spots when he was younger.

Mine was the same. Tiny whitehead pimples. Wash with carbon theory charcoal soap then a gentle sweep of my Clinique no 2 clarifying lotion. All gone by the end of the week, none since and obviously he's got a shoddy face washing routine so I encourage him to use the clarifying lotion when I remember, about twice a week. Doesn't use the soap anymore and has clear skin. He's only 12 so wondering if he'll have another outbreak, so keeping a close eye.

I bought the Superdrug salicylic acid face wash for DS of the same age. That whole range seems pretty good and not pricey at all which is good if you just want to test some stuff out without it coating a fortune.

Avon clear skin is really good , and not expensive

@CousinLucy

Mine was the same. Tiny whitehead pimples. Wash with carbon theory charcoal soap then a gentle sweep of my Clinique no 2 clarifying lotion. All gone by the end of the week, none since and obviously he's got a shoddy face washing routine so I encourage him to use the clarifying lotion when I remember, about twice a week. Doesn't use the soap anymore and has clear skin. He's only 12 so wondering if he'll have another outbreak, so keeping a close eye.

Iirc the Clinique contains salicylic. Anything with salicylic will be great on teen or any skin prone to breakouts. It's a myth btw that teen/oily skin doesn't need moisturizer. Nadine Baggott has a great video on YT on teen skin problems, she explains the science really well

Dermalogica if you're willing to splash some cash on him