Skin changes

[emeraldefmach]

This one is for all you experienced mums out there with older children.
My son is 11 and he's just started to get a few spots on his face. He went away for a few days last week and since coming back I've noticed that his complexion has really changed quite suddenly. He has tiny raised white spots (lumps) all over his cheeks and forehead. I can't believe it's just done to hormones. I had thought it might be a heat rash or allergy but his skin isn't red or itchy. I'm quite sad if this is the result of a surge of hormones because I was plagued with acne all my life and still have it in my forties. Does anyone else have any ideas what this might be or is this just adolescent changes in his skin? Physically, there have been no other changes yet. Thanks.

What you describe could be a condition called milia, tiny cysts or whiteheads filled with a protein material that appear on the face and eyelids. Milia are common, can recur if one's prone to them, and seem to run in some families. Sometimes they develop in areas of the skin that have been traumatized, due to eyelid surgery, burns (including severe sunburn), radiation therapy, heavy use of steroid creams, or other skin problems. They aren't known to be a sign of any serious underlying disease, however.

If they aren't bothering him, they can usually just be left alone. Sometimes they will fall off more quickly if you hold a warm, wet washcloth to them for several minutes, several times a day. However tempting, don't let him try to pick at them or remove them yourself, the way you might with a blackhead, because they can become infected and may cause scarring. Your health care provider or a dermatologist who specializes in skin conditions can confirm that these are milia, and may suggest their removal. I have these instead of acne...still do. HTH

Thanks Mothernature. Yes, there are exactly like milia. Do you find your skin condition has flare ups or is it always there? I'm really hoping that my son's skin calms down. I'm just wondering whether heat can make the condition worse. Thank you for replying so quickly.

Mine just seems to be there one minute and gone again...no pattern to heat or cold, this is what I do: Hold a hot, wet face cloth over the skin for a few minutes - the temperature should feel comfortable and, not be painful. This is a simple way of having a facial sauna and, helps loosen and remove dead skin cells and debris from the skin.
Use an exfoliating facial scrub to remove the top layer of skin, which can enable the cysts to fall out. These are available from the pharmacist and are the kind of facial wash used for treating mild acne. Those containing salicylic acid work well, but always read the label or, ask the pharmacist to make sure that the one you select is suitable for him. Most importantly, resist the temptation to pick at them. This will hurt, damage and, possibly scar the skin, and may introduce a nasty infection into the skin too. HTH

I will tell you what is funny,
my 12 year old was on a school trip last week and came back with spots they obviously dont wash away from home!