Spotty teen

[honeybeeridiculous]

DS is 15 and his face is very spotty, which upsets him. Iv bought him clearasil and other makes of astringent cleanser and spot creams etc but to no avail. I seem to remember reading that these washes etc can aggravate spots but not sure. Any ideas & experiences welcome. Both DD's who are older seem to have escaped the spotty years so not come across this before, Thanking you in advance

go to the docs and get an antibiotic face wash and gel lotion only thing that worked for my 15 yr old dd now her skin has cleared up gets the odd spot but she is a girl so it is hormonal iyswim

Thanks mrsjay, will make app. Didn't really think it was bad enough for drs but its certainly not improving and distressing for DS so it can't hurt, thanks

well if he is upset by it then it needs treatment
I went to find dds cream but i dont know what she has done with it ( it is supposed to be in the fridge) to tell you what it was called,

I usually find Caroline Hirons's advice to be very sound. www.carolinehirons.com/2012/05/acne-cheat-sheet.html

My Ds realised that sugar crisps and fatty things were making him spotty. He's totally cut out all the gak and his face has really cleared up.
Amazing as before that I was often nagging him about his sweet tooth to no effect. His desire to look good has transformed his eating habits and it's made a real difference.

My es , who has a really healthy diet, had spotty skin and tried all sorts of creams and lotions but none of them helped and it was getting him down so I took him to the docs who prescribed him Duac gel. The difference within a week was amazing- it contains benzyl peroxide (like a lot of spot creams) and also an antibiotic. He now only needs to use it sporadically and is much happier.

I rarely need to take my ds's to the docs (previous visit was probably over 5 years ago!) but I am so glad I did this time.

My son was same, I took him to the doctors and he gave him antibiotic cream, this didn't really work, so has been out on a course of antibiotics, been on them 3 months and skin starting to clear nicely, such a difference, it's all down to hormones and puberty I think and some teens produce more sebum which causes the spots? Anyway going to doctors was best thing for my son, hope this helps.

Go see his GP with him.

It is worthwhile trying antibiotic creams first if it is 'only' his face ie not to big his surface area.
Next step is antibiotic tablets.
If that fails (and only then) consider Roaccutane: it is pretty much a 'wonder drug', but not without risks, side effects (virtually everybody who takes it gets very dry skin IME) and requires bloodtests before, during and after treatment.

Don't let him suffer it.

Maryz do you mind me asking how long did it take to see results from the roacutine? Ds1 15 started it a week ago, if anything his skin looks worse, he's had acne for years and tried everything else. Really praying it will be the wonder drug for him too.

Info about Roaccutane

Antibiotics for acne

Lotions and potions for acne

Technically speaking acne and spots are the same thing just different degrees of the same problem

Get a sensitive face wash, maybe simple for him to use twice a day and buy benzoyl peroxide cream, they sell it as quinoderm behind the counter in Boots. Only use once per day in the eve on and around spots, or if his skin gets too dry use every other day. And buy a good moisturiser to use morning and night, just a light non oily one. The benzoyl peroxide is excellent but can badly dry skin if overused so make sure he moisturises.

If it's acne then diet will have no effect on it all.
DD2 has been on creams and antibiotics prescribed by the GP with little effect. She was referred to a dermatologist who prescribed roaccutane. She took it for five months and it did work. The acne returned though as he said it might. She's now on a combination of tetracycline anti biotics, the contraceptive pill and roaccutane gel. Her skin is much improved again.
She was offered a second course of roaccutane but she just couldn't face it. Her current regime definitely suits her better - although, of course, would be no use for those of you with DSs

Thanks Maryz, that's really reassuring I'll tell him.

I completely agree with the advice to go to the GP and escalate the treatment if the first thing you try doesn't work.

FWIW, I took Roaccutane as a teenager and it was miraculous. In my 30s now, I get the occasional spot but it's very different to proper acne - my skin was awful (face, chest and back) for four or five years before the Roaccutane. I agree with MaryZ completely - you'll need to stock up on things to ease the side effects which for me mainly presented as very very dry skin. I found Diprobase (perhaps the same as Silcox Base?) very helpful. I used to use Blistex lip cream underneath Carmex. I also found that I had small nosebleeds because the skin in my nose was so dry it cracked easily, so putting the smallest amount of vaseline up there on a cotton bud (before bed!) helped too.

I do hope you find a solution soon. It's such a horrid thing to deal with.

Thanks everyone, am going to book app in the morning with GP, the spots are 'only' on his face but are red and angry so need to do something, I think the astringent cleansers I buy for him are prob too harsh,

Good luck, honeybee.

Acne/spots should always be treated as aggressively as required depending on the distress they cause, NOT how objectively severe they might be.
So, if he is really unhappy about his appearance then keep going back to your GP every 4-8 weeks until you find something that works for and agrees with him.
Unfortunately there's nothing that works v quickly so he will have to persevere. And if it came to wanting to be considered for Roaccutane, he'd need to be referred to a dermatologist.

I've had more dealing with teenagers feeling suicidal because of their skin than because of Roaccutane. It can cause depression and suicidal thought and this most certainly MUST be discussed before starting on it (alongside the contraception, the very VERY dry skin including lips/nose/eyes, possible muscle pains - don't start a new sport while on it etc etc).

Like every drug that is very effective it is also potentially v nasty, so not a first choice.

FWIW, DH had 3 courses of the stuff. He was not nowhere near a teenager and he was more moody and arsy than usual . He now has babysmooth skin and is still moody and arsy and middleaged.