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

[Panicmode1]

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.

I ended up on roaccutane and I found it to be great. The results far outweighed the side effects for me, although it dried my lips out so much, they used to split at the sides and bleed if I laughed too hard, but atleast my skin was good!
I also found steaming with a hot wet flannel on my face, followed by bio oil used to help for a while!

My ds2 had to go onto Roaccutane and even with this he has scarring. you need to get him to see the Gp before scarring sets in. Roaccutane is not a nice drug and can have nasty side effects but did work for my son. My ds3 now has acne that is getting quite bad, I really hope he doesn't need the same treatment.

My son had acne when he was 17. The Dr gave him some pills and cream (not rocotaine) and his skin was clear, without side effects, in less than a month. There are so many treatments now, teens do not have to suffer. Go back and insist.

I wouldn’t faff around with anything topical, go to a private dematologust and ask for roaccutane.

Try Acnecide from boots/superdrug. Or Zineryt from GP. Worked on my cystic acne so might help. Also for day to day cleansing try la roche posay effaclar, which also helped.

My derm friends get their teenage DCs on roaccutane straight away. Trust me as someone who has had bad acne, the worst thing was delaying effective treatment. I was already depressed enough about my skin I literally couldn’t give two shits about the side effects, which fortunately was only dry skin for me.

Took Ds1 to see a male GP, even though it wasn't THAT bad. Brilliant. Gave him a cream, for after, a cleansing gel to wash with and tablets: lymeciline?

Brilliant.

Why wait? Take your kids to the GP earlier rather than later.

My sibling has acne as a side effect of meds and has this blue light thing. Its meant to kill certain bacetria. They feel it works. I cant remener the name sorry.

Definitely the GP if you can get in again. Antibiotics can be amazing, or epiduo, duac or differin (all creams/ointments). Over the counter benzoyl peroxide is also great. You can get acne medications prescribed through Superdrug online I think but I imagine you would need to be over 18? It’s so worth the initial hassle of finding someone who can prescribe you the right thing. It might take a few goes but acne can be so miserable.

Another vote to push for a referral to dermatologist. My 15 yo has/had bad acne. (We are not in UK but similar referral system)
We tried the face wash - nothing. Then acne was very painful - face, back and chest.
Referred to dermatologist- given low dose Antibiotics and cream. Didn’t really make much of a difference. Spots were very painful and would burst much to his distress.
Now in Roaccutane- except called Tretinac - started in early December and such a difference in his skin. It is drying. But it is also possible to start in a lower dose and build up gradually. He is so much happier about his skin. It’s for 9 months and then acne should be a thing of the past.
So be pushy. The last think you want is scarring.

Don't be fobbed off. Insist on seeing a GP.

What a dick that nurse was. Get a referral to a dermatologist. They may start him on tetracycline to see if that works and if it doesn't then roaccutane is probably the way to go. There will be regular blood tests to check the liver while on Roaccutane. Chances are it might get worse before it gets better but reassure him that's common. It's awful for him and at such a vulnerable stage. Don't be fobbed off again. Insist!

www.superdrug.com/Acnecide/Acnecide-5%25-Gel-Benzoyl-Peroxide-30g/p/374606

This has helped dd1’s skin massively. She was going through a really bad patch with her skin, but once she started using this it improved within days.

She’s been using it about a month and she gets the odd spot, but noting compared to what it was like before. It’s the best over the counter thing we’ve found.

Hi Panicmode. I suffered with acne as a teenager so I can empathise. From approx 14 I used erythromycin and Dianette, probably a few other medicines too, definitely over the counter lotions etc. Nothing worked until roaccutane at 18 and I spent a few years feeling frustrated that it had taken so long for a referral to that level as my confidence had been knocked. However roaccutane has potentially massive side effects including birth defects, mental health and low libido so can understand why it is very much a last resort.

I'm 37 now and still suffer to an extent but I can now see a link to both my menstrual cycle and to food and drink. Sugar definitely causes reddening of my skin and a type of breakout; dark beers cause cystic breakouts. I think there's also a link with shampoos and conditioners too re acne on the back /shoulders (I've read other people re this and it's to do with a particular ingredient which is in many products, sorry I can't remember which ingredient). All in all there are probably lots of triggers. I wonder if your son could keep a food diary to see if there are any obvious links?

Oh, scarring only happens when the skin is broken and bleeds, so it can be avoided.

Best wishes.

I know a lot of suggestions have already been given but just wanted to add mine!

I had acne my whole life. Eventually had a laser treatment that worked absolute wonders. However after kids my skins got worse again. A friend recommended the Murad range of products. They are amazing. The cleanser is brilliant. And finally I have clear skins after years of it being really bad! Hope you find a solution for your son x

My sons acne was really bad. It was deeply embedded in his skin. As a last ditch attempt before the steroids I got the teenage skin soap and miracle cream from willow cottage. OMG it really is a miracle. I could see a difference within days and in less than 2 weeks his skin was almost clear. I now have 3 using them daily.

This is extremely painful for me to write but I can’t not give you my experience of Roaccutane/Isotretinoin.

My beautiful 15 year old daughter took her own life whilst taking this drug earlier this year. She was not depressed but suffered a sudden suicidal impulse which this drug can cause and it overwhelmed her. There were no signs leading up to it. And we were never warned about the true side effects of this drug by the Dermatologist, who actually played down any mental side effects. I know that this drug clears Acne and many people have had good results with this drug but honestly, it is chemotherapy and it is so dangerous with side effects lasting indefinitely for some people. (Gut issues, dry eyes, permanent erectile dysfunction, mental health problems to name but a few).

There’s a good chance your child will be fine on it, but If someone offered your child a bag of sweets and told you 6 of them were poisoned, would you let him take any? I have the rest of my life to regret allowing my lovely daughter to take it. And she had only very mild acne. A total tragedy. Look on FB for lots of info. I wish I had.

20:57DevastatedandDistraught

So very sorry to hear about your beautiful daughter...there are no words

With our 13 year old we tried all sorts and it cost me a fortune .He has acne with red, raised bumps full of white pus and blackheads. Tried Acnecide , Clearasil, silver powder, Freederm (to name a few).
Went to GP and he is now taking a small antibiotic pill, just one a day, called Doxycycline. Acne is improving after just one week .

OP, there are many treatments available. Your GP and the nurse prescriber should both follow recommended guidance, see cks.nice.org.uk/acne-vulgaris

I’m a GP and that nurse practitioner was being ridiculous. Of course acne can be and is treated.

Get your son back to the surgery to see a GP this time. You won’t be able to get a dermatology referral until your son has tried a few primary care-level treatments (antibiotics + topical creams e.g. epiduo/duac). But if those don’t work, then your GP will refer your ds to derm.

I had to courses of roaccutane a couple of years apart.

nasty side effects and made no difference to my acne.

I'm now 38, what has changed is my attitude to it - I've learned to not let it bother me.

Yes, DS has the same problem and has been prescribed Benzoyl peroxide 5% which is really helping.

My son had acne and as my dh had been badly scarred in his youth with it, we took him straight down the gps. He was prescribed zinc and erythromycin lotion which he had to use every evening. Definitely can recommend. We also didn't want to go down the roccutane route because of the MH implications

Duac (strongest one) from the GP. Game changer.