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Best acne treatment for teenage son?

8 replies

goldengoddess · 14/01/2019 12:20

Hi, my teenage son is 18 and has in recent months become quite spotty, particularly his jawline and chin. For several months he has been using a benzoyl peroxide cream, but it appears to have made no difference.

To be honest I think I am more traumatised by it than he is, he used to have the most perfect, peachy skin, but sadly has inherited my grotty tendency to spots.

I suffered from acne for years, and it wasn't until my mid-40's that I finally cracked it - by using tretinoin-based Obagi skin care which was the only thing that really worked. It's bloody expensive though, so was wondering if there was anything else we could try.

Just wondering I I take him to the GP's will he be fobbed off with antibiotics, which I'm really reluctant for him to take, given all the recent evidence that it affects your healthy gut bacteria for months/years to come. And also, I am sceptical that it actually works. Has anyone - or their children - successfully taken antibiotics for acne? I know I was prescribed a whole series of various antibiotics when I was in my 20's and they made not a blind bit of difference.

Also, has anyone had any success with Retin-A? Can GP's still prescribe this? Any helpful advice gratefully received!!

OP posts:
loveskaka · 14/01/2019 12:24

Benzoyl peroxide. Google it x

goldengoddess · 14/01/2019 16:17

Thanks but as I said we've already been using that for three or four months and it has made no discernible difference

OP posts:
loveskaka · 14/01/2019 20:59

Ohh sorry, try a salicylic acid face wash and the benzoyl peroxide. They can sometimes make it worse before it gets betters so hang in there. What % of benzoyl peroxide is he using? And what moisturiser?

happydays1983 · 14/01/2019 21:00

Try Sudocrem 😀

YouBoggleMyMind · 14/01/2019 23:04

I had tetracycline for my teenage acne. It is a long term oral antibiotic and it takes a while to work but it does work. I found benzo peroxide really harsh on my skin and it just made it red and sore. Obviously if it's really severe you can go down the route of roaccutaine but I don't think it's popular and is used as a last resort. Good luck Smile

christmaschristmaschristmas · 15/01/2019 14:34

Go back to the GP and get differin or epiduo prescribed.

Have him use cerave cleanser and moisturiser.

christmaschristmaschristmas · 15/01/2019 14:35

(Differin is a retinoid like tretinoin, but more sorted to acne)

goldengoddess · 15/01/2019 16:40

Thanks for your input everyone. Don't know about Differin, need to look into it!
Not keen on antibiotics as I said because they didn't work for me - though of course that's not to say they wouldn't work for my son - but just don't think it's advisable to be on antibiotics for long periods of time so trying to avoid that route.

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