GP prescribed Epiduo for my 11yr old. Nasty side effects. Do we stick with it?

[maldivemoment]

She’s been using it lightly once a day, in the evening after washing her face. However she’s now saying her skin feels very hot & sore/sensitive. We skipped it last night & applied a little moisturiser instead. Even that was sore. She said it was stinging.

Question is, do we stick with the epiduo? GP said to apply it for 12 weeks.

I suppose I’m just querying how harsh it seems to be. She’s only 11!

Am I overthinking this? Being too sensitive?

Thanks in advance.

Is it listed as a side effect? I'd call the GP for advice about whether to continue, and stop using it in the mean time.

Thank you @shuffleofftobuffalo

Yes, we were told her skin may become a little sore.

She is very young to be prescribed something like Epiduo- it can work miracles but has to be used extremely carefully and it strips everything in its path (towels, pillow cases, top part of bedding and top of pj tops is the experience in this house). Having had 2 teens go through horrendous acne including DD diagnosed with PCOS at 15, if you don't mind giving more information what's the background? At 11 skin is so delicate. While using Epiduo DD used to get through masses of Cerave moisturising cream (not the lotion).

Thank you @kitchenhelprequired thats enormously helpful.

she has quite a lot of spots on her forehead. Some on cheeks too. Clearly hormonal. Not yet started her periods. Spots have been gradually getting worse & now making her a bit tearful at times.

My initially reaction to the prescription was similar to yours. I thought we might have tried something a bit less harsh to begin with.

GP seemed v young & liked the sound of her own voice. (Told daughter she can’t have unprotected sex while using this cream but that’s a WHOLE other story for another day!) I didn’t come out of the consultation feeling reassured but now I’m seeing how harsh this stuff is on her delicate, 11year old skin, I’m starting to think I’m right.,

@maldivemoment its not meant to be given to under 12s I thought? Check the patient leaflet. Personally I would steer clear of anything strong like this and look at other solutions…sometimes improving gut health can improve skin. There is often underlying hormonal causes and I get why some teens need meds for their self confidence but 11 sounds very very young .

Why on earth are you applying such a high strength retinol every night?!

Start gradually - 1-2 nights a week, and step up.

Make sure she's using barrier supporting ingredients (ceramides, squalene etc) and make sure she always, always wears SPF during the day, and reapplies it.

You need to stop using the Epiduo for now and let her barrier heal

Ps.she may need to look at her hairstyle ,try keeping hair away from forehead at night ,at least, with a hairband , and also what she does with her hands on her forehead as a lot of people sit with their fingers on their forehead when they are concentrating!

PPS….if using epiduo you need to avoid strong sun exposure so another difficulty with the summer approaching!

I think 11 is too young for this cream. Skin is too delicate. I use it at 47 and it's strong stuff. I would have thought a simple antibiotic lotion would be a better option. And that GP sounds awful!

Also (from decades of personal experience) the Acnecide range is very effective - face wash but also and particularly their benzoyl peroxide cream. You can get it from pharmacies, Sainsburys etc. Go gently with it though as that is also drying on the skin.

My 12-year-old (actually she was still 11 when prescribed it) has been using it for the last three months and it has made a huge difference to her skin. We built it up really slowly to start with (just using it for an hour before bed, and then washing it off), and even then it was quite sore for a couple of weeks. But, it did settle down and now her skin is back to normal. She is very assiduous about suncream and moisturiser. Actually, just reminded me that we need to make a follow-up appointment as I'm not sure what the next steps will be.

GP told an eleven year old child, not even having periods yet, to avoid unprotected sex while using the medication ? I am shocked, that needs a complaint surely ?
I also think eleven is too young for something so strong. On the plus side her skin might calm down once her periods start. I had nice skin through my teens, but weirdly the one time I got a bit spotty was in the months just before my periods started when hormones must have been shifting.

She could have been following practice guidelines. When DD was 11 she had to have surgery following and accident. They asked her and me if there was a possibility she could be pregnant. The nurse was apologetic about asking, and explained that previously their policy had been to ask girls from 12 upwards, but the sad reality is that it is a genuine necessity to ask from age 10 upwards.

Thank you all for your kind words of reassurance.
i will now make another apt with (a different!) GP and look at alternatives.