Skincare regime teenage acne

[Iusedtobecarmen]

Hello
Wasnt sure whether to post here or teenage board but figured there are a lot of skincare experts here!
18 yr old ds really self conscious about facial and body acne . I'd say it's moderate but he thinks it's awful. It doesn't seem terrible to me but I can understand how he feels.
Really struggling to find a good regime that works.
Currently cleans his face twice a day with either Lush coalface or sometimes a non foaming face wash. Have tried various. Have a tea tree one at present. Got a tea tree scrub too that I've said use a couple times a week. Then moisturiser. Currently using a simple light one. Have previously tried neutrogena. Doesnt use a toner at the moment.
Also dabs neat tree oil directly on spots.
I have starting using the ordinary products myself and really rate them

I got him some The ordinary salicylic acid and hes been using it about 3 to 4 weeks. While his spots havent worsened they havent improved either.
Any suggestions?

As.for the body acne I got him a.body scrub (the sanctuary)and a Boots back spray

I'm going to work now if I don't respond to any potential replies!

You need to see a GP for some prescription cream/lotion. High street beauty products won't help with acne I'm afraid.

Has the GP recommended anything? I took dd who is 11 about back acne and the GP said most acne treatments you can't start til 12. She wasnt sure if it was acne or folliculitis but has given us a one week course of anti bs and then will go back and see if there's any improvement. She might presrcibe a roll on treatment next.
You might have more options though as he's over 12

Haven't been to gp as I didnt think was severe enough. Should I get him to go them you think?

Yes of course.

Yes, get him to go to the GP. If it's not really terrible they will start him off on something mild, like duac gel, which is applied to spots at night and contains a small amount of antibiotics, to help stop the spread of bacteria. Fingers crossed that might be enough to calm them down, but go back if not. It is a medical condition and needs medical treatment, doctors will be used to seeing young adults like him x

Go to the doctor's. The stuff the prescribe is nothing short of miraculous

Buy acnecide benzoyl peroxide cream from boots (over the counter) and for face wash la Roche posay effaclar. Bravura London do a good glycolic acid serum. My teens use a combo of the 3 and this keeps cystic acne at bay. Personally I find I have to steer clear of any product that is “mattifying” as it will cause more spots.

I'm in this situation myself at the age of 39! I had terrible acne as a teenager which cleared up after a course of roaccutane, and then I was on the pill throughout my 20s and early 30s so it stayed away. Now it's started to come back, and anything I've been able to buy over the counter has been useless. If it's cystic acne (hard, painful red lumps that don't always come to a head) nothing will help except seeing your GP.

My son had pretty bad acne at the beginning of this year. He happened to tag along to a shoot I was doing with a facialist and she recommended a few things.

He now has a routine:
Morning - - nip & fab wipe followed by salycilic acid on the spots, niacimide then a light moisturiser - he likes the gel ones.

Evening, he cleans with micellar water, salycilic on the spots again then a Vichy moisturiser which is an overnight thing that I cannot find on the website which means it must be discontinued or something. AAArrrggghh.

His spots have improved so much although he still occasionally gets the odd HUGE volcano.

The Nip Fab pads are the dragons blood ones not the glycolic ones.

The best product for acne that I have ever used is dermalogica daily microfoliant. Currently using superfacialist deep cleansing scrub with salysilic acid as an alternative.

Thanks everyone. I was going to order that niacinamide( or however you spell it!) From the ordinary as it says that it goes alongside the salicylic acid.
Also I use the dragons blood pads from nip and fab! I like them but I don't have spots.
Anyway I think i might ask him if he will to.go and see the gp as it wasn't something I'd considered. He's definitely got spots but to me not bad enough for a Dr ifyswim. I think I've been underestimating how he feels. I know it's hard being a teenager and self conscious
They are big red lumpy ones and more on one side of his face than the other. Hes more bothered about his back and chest though i think.

Deffo recommend the ordinary products, the 2% retinoid is great for acne too but he would have to commit to wearing spf on his face everyday. For the chest and back it's probably a good idea to see if the dr will start him on an antibiotic first to see if that helps before moving onto something stronger like roaccutane. There's also some acid pads that are good for use on the body like neogens peeling pads lemon, a little pricey though

oooh azaeliac acid is great for acne too. When my son was with my mum this summer he was putting lots of suncream on his back and getting terrible spots. The azaeliac acid was brilliant - from the ordinary again.

Watch Dr Sam Buntings Vlogs on YouTube .

Actually SOME high st products will help like Acnecide (BP) and Salicylic acid products .

And yes to azaeliac too

Physical exfoliation is NOT recommend for anyone , let alone acne prone skin by most of the top derms

Also you can get treatments from boots acne clinic and superdrug acne clinic online - Duac and Differin are fantastic products .

You just have to submit images . Happy to pm if you want to discuss more

"They are big red lumpy ones" on his back, chest and face and you didn't think of suggesting he sees a dr?!!!! The big red lumps will be painful, affect his confidence and cause permanent scarring. Facial scrubs will do more harm than good.

Get him to see a doctor!

In many areas people struggle for appointments , might as well start treating it with Benzol Peroxide at home whilst you wait

my teenage dd had lots of spots on her chin and around her nose and I cannot believe the improvement that La Roche Posay effaclar duo + has made. You HAVE to try it. She washes her face am and pm with Elemis Dynamic resurfacing foaming cleanser, removes with a clean muslim cloth. Next Elemis apricot toner then effaclar duo. Every other day she exfoliates. After 4 weeks of this i would go as far as saying her skin is radiant! Spots pretty much all gone!

If your son has big red lumps I second the fact you will probably need some antibiotic treatment. Especially if he has back and chest acne. My 19 year old is on antibiotic treatment as is my 12 year old Ds as they have big painful pustules otherwise. Ds is on a topical roll on one and Dd is on tetracycline both with Epiduo used topically. We used Acnecide cream and face wash for a while but it became very expensive and completely damaged their skin.