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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

What are you doing for spotty skin?

27 replies

Chat135456 · 10/04/2023 12:31

I’ve tried buying the OY serum but my teens either didn’t use it or it wasn’t really working, I’m not sure which.

What have yours used that worked? They’re boys, if that makes any difference.

OP posts:
JHarHar · 10/04/2023 12:35

Have you tried salicylic acid?

RoseDog · 10/04/2023 12:38

I have 2 teenagers a dd and Ds and they've tried loads of products and oddly the best product that's worked for both of them is foaming face wash, it's about £2ish from Asda, Morrisons and boots or the more expensive soap and glory one, it's clears up their skin great but they have to keep using it everyday or the spots come back!

Lastnamedidntstick · 10/04/2023 12:43

Cutting out dairy.

tried everything else. All the lotions and potions.

visible difference in a week. Couple months down the line there’s still some residual healing where the worst outbreaks were, but other areas completely clear. Acne on back gone also.

I was the biggest sceptic with “intolerances” and all that stuff, and it was dc themselves decided to try changing their diet. Can’t deny it’s worked.

although in hindsight now I suspect they’ve always had a dairy allergy, it’s only now various symptoms have gone …

Original poster
Chat135456 · 10/04/2023 13:26

Thanks all. I’ve not tried salicylic acid but may need to give that a go.

The dairy thing is interesting because I’ve cut out dairy recently and it’s really cleared up a lot of issues for me (skin is great too). I don’t think they’d do this though as your kids did that for themselves whereas mine would perhaps resist me being interventionist. I will definitely talk to them about this though and see if they go for it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s worth a try and then go back to dairy if it doesn’t make a difference.

OP posts:
ScentOfAMemory · 10/04/2023 13:37

Effaclar Duo range. It's salicylic. (as is Nip and Fab Teen Fix)

Nix32 · 10/04/2023 13:43

Lymecycline antibiotics from the GP here

MarpleFan · 10/04/2023 13:48

Zineryt worked wonders for me.

lljkk · 10/04/2023 14:19

Younger DC don't mind so nothing. We have lotions & potions but they don't apply them.

Eldest was on some topical antibiotic forever, might be off now.

DC2 is a princess primadonna deeply concerned & now talked GP into letting her have Roaccutane.

You can tell I don't find what they did in proportion to severity of the infection, is response to their level of insecurity instead.

Original poster
Chat135456 · 10/04/2023 14:27

@lljkk - yeah you see, this is a good point. Mine don’t actually mention it and I don’t think they’re that fussed. It’s probably just projection since I had bad skin and I hated it (I was put on Dianette after trying several antibiotic lotions and that sorted it right out).

Maybe I should just forget about it and let them be!

OP posts:
ShakespeareInTurmoil · 10/04/2023 14:43

St Ives apricot scub. The blemish fighting one. It’s like liquid sandpaper and helped me enormously used frequently

Sillybanana · 10/04/2023 21:32

As another poster said I second effaclear duo by La Roche poss at. It’s a face wash and moisturiser for oily but sensitive skin. Worked for my dd

NCTDN · 11/04/2023 07:37

I was coming on to ask about this. DS has awful skin but it hasn't bothered him at all until recently. He's now fighting a losing battle because it's too late to prevent but needs treating. He had lymecycline from the gp for his back but it's made no difference. He's starting using a face wash but I don't think it's the right door for him. If anything I think it's too harsh but not helped by going from doing nothing to using a face wash, exfoliant and spot gel. I feel like I've got so many products to try but don't know where he should start.

Rutaceae · 11/04/2023 07:50

Adapalene (differin gel) from the GP is the only thing that sorted dds acne.

wizbit93 · 11/04/2023 08:03

DS has started using head and shoulders shampoo on his face (!) and it's made a huge difference. He said he saw it on TikTok!

maddy68 · 11/04/2023 08:14

Go to the gp and keep going back until you are put on the right medication

ScentOfAMemory · 11/04/2023 09:13

If a salicylic product doesn't work (and if it's full blown acne it probably won't) then I agree a more potent product might be needed. I'm not sure if a pharmacist can give you benzoyl peroxide 5% OTC but that's usually the first step if a "cosmetic" skincare product like SA doesn't work. Acnecide and the other "acne" brands all contain this. Failing that, you'd need as pp says, a doctor to prescribe something containing adapalene, or next step up again, Tret/retin A.

Don't use gritty scrubs. Products containing Salicylic (or glycolic if you're dry) do what scrubs used to do without the sandpaper effect.

Remember too, that oily skin can also need hydrating. Sometimes a vicious circle is created because we think oily doesn't need moisture. The dehydrated skin then produces more oil and so on.

Lastnamedidntstick · 11/04/2023 10:34

wizbit93 · 11/04/2023 08:03

DS has started using head and shoulders shampoo on his face (!) and it's made a huge difference. He said he saw it on TikTok!

Dc saw that as well! Didn’t work for us, probably because as I said upthread the cause of her skin issues seems to be dairy.

might be worth drawing up a plan of exclusion- try salicylic acid for a month, photos 1st/30th or the month, then benzoic, etc etc.

gives things chance to work. I know dc seemed to just throw everything at it at once in desperation!

Original poster
Chat135456 · 11/04/2023 16:12

Thanks for all of these everyone.

@Lastnamedidntstick you may be interested that the thing he went for when I discussed the options on here was to try cutting out dairy.

OP posts:
DeadbeatYoda · 11/04/2023 23:07

Clean side of the pillow cases each day, acnecide products from sainsburys / boots, including the moisturiser. Has worked really well.

maddy68 · 12/04/2023 19:00

Honestly if that doesn't work. Please go to the doctors. I was put in tablets that completely cleared it

Lastnamedidntstick · 12/04/2023 19:32

maddy68 · 12/04/2023 19:00

Honestly if that doesn't work. Please go to the doctors. I was put in tablets that completely cleared it

Which tablets?

megletthesecond · 12/04/2023 19:38

DS's skin keeps flaring up. I'm worried it's actually rosacea. He's always had a gentle face wash but now even Acnecide doesn't seem to work. I've bought a cream for rosacea to that he can pat on and we'll see how he goes over the next week.

Anyonebut · 12/04/2023 19:42

The problem with cutting dairy out completely is that you can end up causing a dairy intolerance that wasn’t there before as the lactase in your gut (which is what helps you digest dairy) will die due to lack of lactose, so you may end up with permanent intolerance even if you didn’t already have it.

GuyFawkesDay · 12/04/2023 19:55

Mine has just got mucky teenage boy nose blackheads and the odd spot rather than full on acne.

Tea tree and witch hazel boots face wash and moisturizer and the "dots for spots" to put on overnight when one pops up seem to work really well for him.

GCMM · 12/04/2023 19:58

I'd love to know which tablets cleared up acne, please. My son is now 20 and has absolutely terrible acne, bless him. It's got worse rather than better in the past year or so. He tried Duac cream for long time, plus another cream I don't know the name of. I'm encouraging him to ask for antibiotics now. I am hoping it won't get to him needing Roaccutane, as I'm afraid of the side effects of that.