At what point do spots need a GP visit?

[confusednortherner]

Ds 13 has had fairly bad spots for about a year, not what I'd call acne but probably 6 or 7 on face and same on back of neck. Couple on neck are big painful lumps with no visible head. We've tried what seems like everything on offer in chemist as well as more gentle face washes. I'm beginning to think it might need go advice but not sure it's considered bad enough.

Have you tried Acnecide gel?

@LubaLuca ds(17) has been trying salicylic acid products for a while and they have helped but not clearing it.

I've been avoiding suggesting benzoyl peroxide products as they seem a bit harsher, but think he should give them a try.

Do you use just the gel or the wash and SPF30 cream too?

Did it ruin/bleach your pillowcases etc?

We've tried what seems like everything on offer in chemist as well as more gentle face washes.

At this point.

Don't continue to waste money on things that don't help.

Hydrocortisone cream works wonders

Do you use just the gel or the wash and SPF30 cream too?

My son uses just the gel, overnight. It has bleached his towel, but it works so well I don't care. It's very drying, so he uses a moisturiser in the day (something like Clearasil I think).

Sometimes it’s best to clear them with antibiotics or prescribed creams then keep up a regime
See the GP

Duac cream worked wonders for teen ds. Speak to gp.

I'd speak to your GP. My DS is taking antibiotics for acne. They take a while to have an effect. DS has been taking them since January. The first type of antibiotic had no effect at all. The second lot are finally (after 2 months) clearing his acne.

If over the counter benzoyl peroxide isn’t doing the job then I’d say GP for something stronger. They might be able to do a video or telephone consultation.

Well, you never need to see a GP about spots. They are a natural part of teenagehood. But if they are bothering him there's no harm in asking your GP for alternative treatments.

He needs GP and dermatology referral now. If there is scarring or cystic acne (the lumps with no head) it needs professional treatment

Sometimes spots are a bacterial skin infection so yes you may need to visit a GP. As you would for any skin infection

A lot of things work for a while then stop working so you might need to try some new things but also it can take time for them to work it’s a minefield

Having had acne for 20 years and been on roaccutane it can really affect your mental health so it is a medical condition you shouldn’t feel that Superdrug will fix. A lot of the crap in shops is just cosmetic over priced rubbish

I had acne from about 13, it got worse the older I got. I tried around 8 sets of antibiotics (some repeats of previously tried ones). I finally got referred to dermatology for it in 2018 and was put on roaccutane. Had to be monitored monthly at the hospital, its a very harsh drug but within 4 months I was acne free and have been since! Mine was considered severe acne by the GPs, it isn't something that is often prescribed but the sooner you get on the road to sorting it the better.

You can get prescription skin care products without seeing a gp. Boots offer an acne service, with online consulatation, as do brands such as dermatica (who do an online service where they are able to escalate to a dermatologiat and prescribe antibiotics, if necessary). In my expeience, dermatica are cheaper than boots (and have a more in-depth consulatation). I'm jot sure what their policy is on treating under 18's though.

Thanks all, as suggested we've bought acnecide as when I asked in different chemist they suggested that was where g may start or at least with similar. I'll give it a go for him and if not will call gp as the lumps on neck are quite painful and as a swimmer there's no disguising them!

When they want to!
Both my teens have been on various antibiotics, they work really well at first and then tend to lose efficacy. DS is on lymecycline, the next one ‘up’ gave him some digestive issues, but might try it again as he has a review coming up and he’s older now.
He wants to go on roaccutane now which only a dermatologist can prescribe, but it can come with some grim side effects like depression (he already has some MH issues so I’m not even sure they’d prescribe it).