Cleanser for bumpy teen skin

[BringBiscuits]

Looking for a cleanser for my Dd (12). She has started to get bumpy skin on her cheeks and jawline. Not spots as such but tiny white bumps. I’m assuming cleanser is what I’m looking for but open to suggestions. She currently just washes her face with a wet facecloth.

La Roche Possay Effaclar , they do wash -tone-moisturise set , a real God sent to any type of acne / skin problems, tiny white bumps will grow into acne especially at her age

Look up Carbon Theory. The soap bar and cleanser are AMAZING and affordable. I speak from buying it since about May - it's our best skin care discovery EVER.

Sorry - soap bar and toner I meant. The soap is the cleanser.

Simple Witch Hazel. People laugh when I say that is the only thing I have ever used as a cleanser. And coconut oil used sparingly as a moisturiser.
The one thing people always comment on is my skin, and how lovely it is.

Just remember that teen skin is normally nothing to do with how clean they are. I had awful acne but it was hormonal and no amount of weird products my Nan hoisted on me helped, just made me feel shit. Nice soap, nice moisturiser, keep it simple

Thanks for this. For what it’s worth I wasn’t suggesting that acne was connected to poor hygiene just that it might help if she used some products rather than just water.

Oh goodness I wasn't suggesting it was, sorry. I just remember feeling like my family were saying I was grubby when I wasn't and it upset me a bit

Clean and Clear. Not expensive and works brilliantly. I used it as a teenager and now dd and ds both do

Cetaphil face wash seems to be helping ds(13) and dd (11) at the moment
here

Thanks. Great suggestions thank you.

I wouldn't jump to acne products yet, I'd stick with some kind of fairly gentle, low or neutral pH cleanser. CeraVe do a few different ones and they're not expensive. Anything too stripping might start a cycle of over production of oil. Does she use any kind of moisturiser?

Apileofballyhoo she doesn’t use any products yet. I’m a bit clueless as I’ve never been that knowledgable about skincare. I’ve never had so many spots as recently though aged 41(!) so need some tips myself!

La Roche Posay effaclear

Don't be put off but the price. It lasts ages. You don't need much. Kind to her skin.

If she gets spotty then use a Toner with salicylic acid. This tends to be the 'acne' ones. Clearasil rapid action toner.

This isn't drying and you don't do your whole face, a quick wipe on the oily areas. I also ten second soak this on a spot when it first grows (the hormonal ones) and it really helps reduce it. I use it on my chin morning and night. Stops 80% of my hormonal chin zits.

I use Aveeno blue for moisture. Very natural and soothing.

I think I'd just start off with the most gentle products as you can always go for the stronger things if there's no result. Gentle cleansers I know of are Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser, La Roche Posay Toleriane (there is a wash as well as a cleanser afaik), and CeraVe hydrating. CeraVe also have a cream to foam and a foaming wash. Massage in, wipe off with soft damp flannel/facecloth/muslin and rinse. Fresh cloth daily. The washes just use like soap. Never use hot water and pat dry with a clean towel. Probably fine to just cleanse at night and just rinse with lukewarm water in the morning.

Her skin shouldn't feel dry or tight or stripped after cleansing/washing. I'm not sure what to recommend if it does - I use CeraVe moisturising lotion for dry skin. It's a body one in a big bottle so it's reasonably light for face. I use the actual face one at night, which says it's for normal to dry skin, and contains niacinamide (vitamin B3, I think) which helps regulate oil production. So that might be an option. Superdrug do a pure range which might be suitable.

If you look at the skin care threads on here a very knowledgeable poster has done some info sheets linked at the beginning of the threads.

Salicylic acid is an exfoliating agent that deep cleanses pores as it's oil soluble so it can get right in there. I wouldn't jump to products containing that immediately though.

Stay away from any face washes with SLS in them.

Thanks for this. Are these little white bumps the start of acne then? Or can they just go without getting any worse?

They're possibly closed comedomes- blocked pores. Ordinary sweat and dust/ pollution mixed with increased oil production causing pores to get blocked. Cleanser should dissolve the oil so the dirt rinses away and pores don't get blocked up.

If the ones that are there already don't disappear after a while I'd look at some kind of salicylic acid treatment. Paulas choice do a trial size of Skin Perfecting liquid for about a tenner- you only need a tiny bit on the affected area.

www.verywellhealth.com/closed-comedo-15712#:~:text=Closed%20comedones%20look%20like%20little,trapped%20within%20the%20hair%20follicle.

My dd2 has similar. She's using cerave salicylic acid cleanser which is really gentle and non-drying and the ordinary Azelaic acid on her bumpy forehead at night. She has rosacea-prone skin so it's important to use gentle non-irritating products.

Just wanted to add Carbon Theory are natural products. The soap is charcoal and shea butter and my ten year old does not need to moisturise afterwards. She had some bumps on each cheek by her jawline - not red or typical spots but just bumps. Anyway they've all cleared up. I think their products are less harsh than acne products, personally.

What you are describing sounds like milia. Would you say so?
Exfolating, lactic acid and salicylic acid will help. Also Retinol

I agree with another PP, they sound like whiteheads (closed comedomes). The pore gets blocked by a combination of sebaceous oil (that increases in puberty due to hormones) and bacteria. Whiteheads can go on to form acne.

Apileofballyhoo is right - gentle does it. Avene extremely gentle cleanser is fabulous for this. Acne prone skin should be treated as sensitive skin.

A supplement of Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is excellent for decreasing sebaceous oil production in a natural way.

Had never heard of milia. Having just googled I don’t think this is what she has. Spots/bumps are tiny but lots of them so skin feels rough.
Thanks for all your suggestions.