Any advice re mixed race teen daughter black patches on face?

[heinztomatosoup]

Dear Mumsnetters
Can anyone help- my 14 year old mixed race daughter has inevitable hormone surge and blackheads/spots around nose and chin. There are also patches of darker skin around them. A quick consultation with Dr Google suggests lightening creams but I don't want to bleach her skin and leave it with lighter patches. Any ideas of what might help? Thanks very much

What products is she using on her skin. Some are very harsh especially on young skin especially as black skin is more prone to hyperpigmentation, it could be a reaction to those. Cerave and Cetaphil are very good product ranges to try, I'd also go to your GP. Maybe try popping a post over on Style and Beauty. I understand why you've put it here though.

This article might help as the dark patches may be a type of scarring from the spots. It recommends seeing a dermatologist with expertise in dark skin, but has info on products ingredients to look for and avoid.

www.health.harvard.edu/blog/acne-considerations-for-darker-skin-2021030322038

That must be so upsetting for her. Acne can trigger the release of melanin. What is she using to treat her spots? It could be aggravating it also.

Stay away from skin lightening creams, that's not the way to go at all.

You'd do better to see your GP/a proper dermatologist with expertise in dark skin as Plan suggests. Google is not your friend when it comes to pushing skin bleaching products.

Could be fungal as all as hormonal. Best to see a dermatologist.

I’d definitely recommend a dermatologist. Especially one who specialises in black skin. If you check out the Caroline Hirons group on Facebook and do a search you may find some recommendations.
Steer clear of bleaching. You could try something like Mandelic Acid from The Ordinary, it helps exfoliate and is good for dark spots. It’s also one of the most black-skin friendly acids because it’s more gentle than some and is anti-fungal as well, but make sure you patch test and are careful with it. Keep it all gentle - Cerave could be worth a try as suggested

Thanks so much everyone for all advice, will follow up on those good suggestions

@heinztomatosoup. Fingers crossed for you and DD that things improve. I really feel for you both, as it's such a worrying time this age.

I hope you've found a way forward. As others have said you hesitate to use lightening creams, that's right, please don't use them.

Eliminating, dairy and sugar for a while can also help. Salicylic acid in a face wash or cleanser can also help.

I used to have very bad spots and I used the "witch" range made from witch Hazel

www.boots.com/tea-tree-and-witch-hazel/all-tea-tree-witch-hazel-products

These products have tea tree oil in and when I've used them worked well but I'm not suggesting you don't seek help from a dermatologist or GP just sharing some info about things I used - these were recommended to me by a friend and total game changer

Also a good idea for your daughter to wear sunscreen of at least factor 30 to prevent hyperpigmentation and even her skin tone. She’s at the perfect age to start a skin care routine which will benefit her in later years.

Hello! I have this exact issue - hyperpigmentation after spots. And I’m 33 and still happens! They do fade with time but the solution I have is trying to get as few spots as possible, and then using products that help skin turnover:

1. Salicylic acid cleanser - every day
2. AHA toner - Ren’s is good and seems to be a favourite with those with darker skin. I just bought a 500ml bottle - it’s a must have. I also use glycolic acid but sparingly as I find it stronger.
3. A good vitamin c serum (Ren’s is great) - this is brightening, not lightening
4. REN’s overnight glow dark spot overnight sleeping cream - this is the dog’s bollocks. Nothing In the ingredient list says it should work but it DOES. It smells like mothballs, but is worth it.
5. Factor 50 every day. I use Paula’s Choice - it isn’t greasy and doesn’t give white cast. La Roche Posay is also good.

Basically, Ren did it for me. But: Paula’s Choice is also a good range and has a similar vibe. I do find retinol helpful too, but wouldn’t suggest it for a teenager - it just speeds up cell turnover.

Oh, for a particularly angry spot: cosrx does brilliant spot patches - stops you picking (which totally aggrevates scarring) and seems to stave off extra melanin.

The above routine has meant my skin has actually been described as “good” - a bloody miracle. And if I do get pigmentation, I know what to do about it. Hope this helps!

I use niacinamide which seems to help with acne pigmentation might be worth a try I have The Ordinary one

I can't thank you all enough for your advice. I started her a couple of weeks ago on the boots tea tree and witchhazel daily wash and the cerave facial moisturiser, both advised on here. The difference has been remarkable. Still dark patches around spots but the rest is much clearer. Now to address the remaining spots so will take this advice about the Ren and niacinide products to see if they help. Thanks so much everyone for your help

Ren shop is on sale right now on amazon. For the Ren skincare glow tonic, The 500ml is on sale for £22.10. A few days ago I bought the 250ml £13.50. That's really cheap compared to other stores.

@heinztomatosoup Cerave is a really good product short term, but the ingredients can cause some harm on more sensitive skin types (drying it out and building dependency longer term). I'd recommend trying Cetaphil once she's finished the bottle she's currently on. I am also mixed-race, but more prone to eczema/psoriasis than acne, but I have experienced hyperpigmentation around spots when I was younger -- this has largely disappeared with age.

There's an app called Yuka which allows you to scan cosmetics and beauty products to view the ingredients which may be harmful/drying/irritating to the skin, Cetaphil scores well for less harmful ingredients. It's free and has really helped me avoid and identify products which were causing more harm than good!

It could also be an idea to address some of the things which might be causing her stress and anxiety and help her find ways to relax and feel calm. Stress and anxiety at any age can aggravate skin conditions. Hope this helps x