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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you to help with teenage acne woes.....

105 replies

Panicmode1 · 09/12/2019 16:42

I'm posting here for traffic really. My lovely 15 yo DS has really bad acne all over his face, and although he's using Clearasil stuff, it's not really helping, although it does get worse if the bottle runs out and he hasn't reminded me to get him some more!

Has anyone found anything which has really helped their teen's skin to improve - or should I give up with OTC stuff and take him to the GP? He rarely complains about anything, but this is getting him down.

OP posts:
Musicaltheatremum · 09/12/2019 16:44

Get him to the GP. Over the counter meds won't work if it's so bad. My children had horrendous acne and needed roaccutane...both have great skin now. As a GP myself I see this a a really important thing to deal with.

MojitoMojitoo · 09/12/2019 16:47

I suffered for years when I was younger and then my mum finally took me to the doctors!

Definitely get him there as there is a lot they can prescribe that will hopefully help.

I tried a lot of different tablets and creams from the doctor before they finally referred me to a dermatologist.

Hope whatever they prescribe can help him start to feel better :)

MojitoMojitoo · 09/12/2019 16:47

I also had Roccutane and it worked wonders!

Original poster
Panicmode1 · 09/12/2019 16:54

Thank you @musicaltheatremum and @mojitomojitoo

Very helpful - I thought maybe the GP wouldn't do much, but I will take him.

(I had bad skin as a teen, but not really on my face - on my chest and back so it wasn't as debilitating.).

OP posts:
Pinkmexicanskull · 09/12/2019 17:02

So Caroline Huron’s will fall off her chair but I have really greasy oily skin (and I’m 33) and so as a last ditch attempt to sort my skin, I got some Cetaphil.

It’s super strong and basically takes all the oil and grease away from your skin and has for me in a week done more for my skin than any other big name face washes. I use it on my back and chest too. You can get it from Superdrug for a tenner- tell him to try that!

Schoolchoicesucks · 09/12/2019 17:02

I found the benzoyl peroxide from acne.org helped. Comes in massive sizes so doesn't work out too pricey vs the small ones you can buy in pharmacy and it's much much gentler but effective.

If that doesn't help, second a trip to the doctor, though you often have to go through a bunch of ineffective treatments until you find something that helps. If it's affecting his confidence and mood worth persisting.

Original poster
Panicmode1 · 09/12/2019 17:05

Thank you - will look at both of those.

OP posts:
Waveysnail · 09/12/2019 17:07

Take him to doctor. I'm not a fan of oral antibiotics as feel they dod nothing for me and had side effects. What did work was antibiotic solution applied to the skin - Dalacin T topical solution - it worked wonders for me

DBML · 09/12/2019 17:08

We buy Zapzit from the states for my DS and it clears his skin up lovely. I wonder if you could order it? It’s around $4 a tube.

Thesuzle · 09/12/2019 17:09

In my experience most doctors will fob you off with the topical stuff which wont work on severe acne. Insist on a referral to a dermatologist at a hospital.

wheresthehope · 09/12/2019 17:09

Yes another here who had really bad skin as a teen. My mum finally took me to a dermatologist and got put on roccutane. Worked wonders.
I also found pro-active to be a really good face cleanser etc

Original poster
Panicmode1 · 09/12/2019 17:09

@pinkmexicanskull - I'm just looking on the website and there are loads of Cetaphil products - is it the oily skin cleanser? Or the gentle foaming cleanser?

OP posts:
Original poster
Panicmode1 · 09/12/2019 17:11

Brilliant, thank you all for your great advice and product ideas. His godfather lives in NYC and is coming over at Christmas so I may see if he can get some Zapzit (great name!) although I do think that a dermatologist may be the logical step so I will go via the GP too.

OP posts:
ghostyslovesheets · 09/12/2019 17:14

my two eldest suffer with acne - younger one is just finishing Roccutane - it's amazing and her skins is clear (arms, back, chest and face)

Eldest is going down the antibiotic route and it's not as effective but she can't have Roccutane.

definitely see your GP there is a lot they can offer - a referral to a dermatologist is a good start

CherryPavlova · 09/12/2019 17:18

Definitely get to GP.
Acne scars can last a lifetime. Acne can undermine confidence and make beautiful young things feel ugly and unattractive. Last thing a teenager needs.
Excellent treatment is readily available.

ShouldI101 · 09/12/2019 17:18

Does Acnecide work for teenagers? You can buy it at the pharmacy. It works a treat on my middle-age acne but I have no idea how it works when you're younger.

PurpleFrames · 09/12/2019 17:20

Defo go to the GP- mine took it very seriously. I had a tablet and cream, plus offer to refer to dermatology if it continued and or got me down. Have to say it was the best illness (?) I have ever had treated in the nhs.

astralweaks · 09/12/2019 17:21

See your GP. Antibiotics for this purpose are available and are very successful. Might take 6 months to clear but it will.

Gingerninja01 · 09/12/2019 17:29

I'm another one who had roaccutane as a teenager and it worked well. It's very harsh on the skin, so be prepared for lots of dryness/sore lips etc, also there has been a lot in the press about it affecting mental health so this may be something you want to do some research on.
Before I was prescribed roaccutane I was also prescribed oxytetracline and then erothymicin, neither of which worked for me but they are less harsh alternatives you may want to investigate first.
Also - if not already doing so, a good skincare regime is important. Garnier facewash is good and inexpensive, and worked better for me than clearasil.
Really hope his skin improves soon, I know how miserable it can be living with acne.

Original poster
Panicmode1 · 09/12/2019 18:35

Thank you all - I think the GP is the way to go. I'm sure it doesn't help his skin that he swims 3x a week either, so I will go and see if we can get a referral to a dermatologist.

OP posts:
Snozzlemaid · 09/12/2019 18:43

Definitely GP. Might not need a dermatologist referral. Our GP took it very seriously to avoid scarring. Dd had a course of antibiotics and then used Duac to keep it clear once the original acne cleared up.

Original poster
Panicmode1 · 19/12/2019 16:36

Thank you to everyone who replied to this. I got him an appt this week, but they wouldn't let me see the GP, only a senior nurse prescriber, and he was very dismissive and said there is nothing they can do, it's 'just hormones, keep using Clearasil' and he 'will grow out of' it. When I interjected and said that I'd had help at his age with treatment, he said women were different because 'acne goes on longer for them'! Should I insist on the GP or will they just say the same thing?

OP posts:
fedup21 · 19/12/2019 16:39

That’s rubbish-I wouldn’t have left without a Gp appointment.

Original poster
Panicmode1 · 19/12/2019 16:45

They squeezed me in an appt before Xmas so I was pathetically grateful. Afterwards I started doubting myself and thinking that perhaps he fobbed me off because it was because I went in with my DS and if it had been my DD it may have been different....?! I will try again...

OP posts:
JudgeRindersMinder · 19/12/2019 16:46

Insist on GP. My ds is halfway through a 12 week course of Oxytetracycline justnownamd it started to make a difference after 2/3 weeks.
Stunned that GPs still have the outdated attitude you encountered