Teenage acne HELP

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I'm easy hoping somebody can give me some advice for my daughters break outs, I am clueless about anything like this as I was lucky enough never to have suffered it. And when I was a teen it was soap water and a bit of cream from a round blue jar!

Anyway, she's 15 and getting really terribly self Ciscos about her ache. It can get rather red and angry looking and she's very worried it could scar.

Could anybody make any suggestions for products or a skin care routine that may help? When I've googled it I've been lost in a loads B of AHAs and niacin things and I'm clueless. I don't want to do more harm than good.

Aww my daughter had the same but mostly on her back. We visited the drs and tried several things but the main routine that cleared it up seemed to be

1. cerave foaming facial cleanser
2. Me+ bha toner 2/3 times a week but starting with once
3. Doxycycline tablets for six months from the drs

It was trial and error but we got there in the end. Hope this helps!

My DD has also been using the cerave cleanser and have definitely seen an improvement on her face
i also got her cerave spf 50 moisturiser and a simple one for night time
cleans her face twice a day

Drs, they see it all the time and it’s very treatable.

Just take her to the GP. I did with mine and the GP prescribed them varying strength face lotion they put on once a day that cleared it right up. My 21yr old still uses it as without she gets breakouts just like your DD’s.

Other than that, don’t buy a bunch of over the counter stuff. Gentle face wash and water is all that is needed. Makeup should be mineral based as well to minimise irritation.

We've had really good results with Thyme Out - DS uses the face wash and then the spray twice a day and it's worked better than anything else we've tried. He does have to make sure he uses it religiously though and he moaned about the smell at first - it only smells of thyme, and not for long, but it took a little bit of getting used to.

Lymocycline on prescription has helped my teenager.

Right ok, I really didn't think the Gp would take this seriously as it's not terrible bad ? But I will mate an apprehend and get the cerave cleanser.

GPs are for normal teen acne. If it’s bad acne, then they refer you to a dermatologist. Teens don’t have to suffer these days like we did. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal to take a teen to the GP for a prescription for acne.

Angels on bare skin is a great face wash from lush. It's full of lavender and other soothing things. Might be worth a go? I use it after years of little break out - I was offered some serious stuff by the gp but it never seemed worth the side effects. Even when I stop using this for a few days I can feel some spots coming.

@MillicentBystandr

That's really good to know. She's the last of 4 and none of the others have been affected so totally new to this and you are right, I was hoping based on my friends experiences in the early 90s!

I've ordered the cerave face wash and will try that for a few weeks and if no better then il definitely take her off to the GP. Thank you all so much.

Cerave has cleared my daughter's forehead acne up in less than a week. She followed up with Effaclar moisturiser from La Roche Posay. Those two products combined worked a treat.

some good advice on here - don’t forget the soaking face in cold water after bath or shower, close the pores, plus the usual cut out sugar drink plenty of water and take a multivitamin

and sunshine! so vitamin D might help?

that its unusual now to see teens with acne is due to
drs taking it seriously, more drugs lotions and potions being
developed for safe use, the habit of drinking filtered water at home,
college, workplace and carrying bottled water outside

doctors are more clued up now than asking whether the teen

eats sweets
eats fried food
applies Vaseline
has dirty hands and touches face
washes face daily
has sugary drinks regularly
wears cheap make up

we have heard all this with first daughter

good luck OP,

It's very unfair not to take her to the GP asap where she'll be prescribed Lymecycline as per PP and benzoyl peroxide as a topical cream which should get rid of it instead of waiting around using a different face wash which will barely make a difference to acne

The only thing that worked for my DD was a brand called Acnecide - they do a whole range. No cheap but it works

Sudocreme has worked surprisingly well for ds(14).

I'd get Caroline Hirons book for her to read too. It's a skincare bible. Great to have and learn from at all points of your life.

Products like La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo would do great on the redness. I'm anti foaming cleansers so use gel or cream ones. And salicylic acid is great for acne too, amongst other things.

The only thing that worked for my DD was a brand called Acnecide - they do a whole range. No cheap but it works

Acnecide helped somewhat for my son. After moving through the various treatments from the GP, including daily antibiotics, he ended up on a course of Roaccutane. Heavy duty but fixed it permanently before scarring started.

While the GP was keen on the various over the counter face washes, the dermatology consultant had the opposite view. I'd say it's worth an appointment with the GP in any case. If nothing clears it up, you've started it sooner rather than later if there's a risk of scarring.

I've ordered the cerave face wash and will try that for a few weeks and if no better then il definitely take her off to the GP.

Id just take her straight to the GP. It’s not that prescription stuff is stronger, it’s actually usually a lower % of things like benozyl peroxide so gentler on the skin and yet more effective because it’s combined with topical antibiotics and such.

Most over the counter face washes, acne ointments are too strong and too harsh. They’ve not been tested with the same rigor as a prescription medication is tested.

The big brands want to hold on to the market though and advertise how awesome they are for teen skin when really in this day and age all anyone needs is a quick trip to the GP and their child can have their acne cleared up quicker and with less side effects.

My son got a cream from the doctors and we noticed a huge difference within days.

Lymecycline, Clears mine up

Yy Cerave, or Cetaphil

Acnecide is probably the best over the counter treatment (weak benzoyl peroxide) - watch out it bleaches clothes & bedlinen

If those don’t do the trick I would ask the GP for Epiduo - mix of benzoyl peroxide and adapalene (a retinoid)

She could also try Spironolactone if it’s clearly hormonal (comes and goes with her cycles)

I would try these before moving on to antibiotics personally as they can mess up your gut

Cerave foaming cleanser
The ordinary niacinamide
I think this is the main that my daughter uses.
Plus a moisturiser with spf in it.

Hi there

My Dd age12 was getting spots and as i suffered with spots. i brought her straight to a dermatologist who said here in the nick of time due to scarring. she is on treclin cream and dianette. her skin is fab . im happy she hasnt to go thru the mental torture I had as a teen. dd is now 14. dont waste your money on over the counter stuff. acne is hormonal end of though the derm did recommend cerave wash and moisturiser.

I had acne of similar severity to her as a teenager but it was incredibly persistent. I did not visit the GP for the first 2 years thinking keeping it clean would help - it didn't. Following that, I tried the pill, every topical cream and antibiotic under the sun, each one for six months to a year at a time, ending with Roaccutane in my early 20s (which I would only recommend as an absolute final resort - it was absolutely horrific to go through that treatment). It stayed clear for a few years and I have been suffering again on and off since I had children - I refuse to take oral antibiotics this time (based on lack of response when I was younger) and have tried all the topical options via GP. I have just started seeing someone privately, only 3 weeks in have seen some improvement; am being cautiously optimistic but this is going to be a long term commitment (and cost) for me unfortunately.

With hindsight, I wish I had seen GP sooner as a teenager and started topical treatment. I also wish I knew more about skin when I was younger and what to/not to do. Caroline Hirons is a good starting point for this. If you can afford it, see a private dermatologist (based on recommendations for acne specifically) who can help with a good daily routine and product recommendations for her skin specifically. NHS dermatologists just go straight to Roaccutane at the point of referral. I am expecting my children to have acne as I did and I will be saving up to ensure they see someone privately from the very beginning; I do not want them to experience the lack of confidence, scarring and trauma I have.