Teens and Acne

My dd12 has been having acne flare-ups for the last few months. We tried regular OTC face washes and creams without much success. Hers is not to the point that I think she needs to see a dermatologist just yet.

Last week, at Trader Joe's, I picked up their SPA Tea Tree Oil face wash. In less than a week, her face looks much better. Her pores look smaller and blemishes though not completely gone, are fewer. It was about $6 so comparable to any other face wash. It can be ordered online through Amazon if you don't have a Trader Joe's close. It definitely worth a try- all natural ingredients!
 
When I was a kid in jrhi/hi school, I used the phisohex, phisoderm, both soaps and overnight creams, Neutrogena soap, Stridex pads for cleanser; Dr. Tichenor's, straight rubbing alcohol, with or without wintergreen, for astringents, and superhot steamy washrag followed by icy cold washrag. I even used Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap! No, not all at once! LOL

At the same time, I had horrible dandruff! Tried Head&Shoulders, Selsun, couple others, and Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap... But finally the Neutrogena T-gel shampoo helped. Haven't had dandruff in decades now. Wish I had the hair now that I had then, though...
 
We use Proactiv here, but you've already said that didn't work. I had adult acne start after I was finished having children. It was AWFUL. I did have to switch to the gentle formula of the Proactiv b/c it's very drying. I actually ONLY use the cleanser, I don't use the other stuff at all. My daughter uses just the cleanser and the day/night creams. My son uses only the toner. LOL :) But they all seem to work for each of our things.

I will say, too, my kids and I have been taking Vitamin E supplements, and our skin has gotten MUCH better.

On the going gluten-free thing, not sure if it helps BUT, if he has an "inflammatory response" to gluten, it is entirely possible that going gluten free would help him a lot.

Hoping you find what works. Teenagers can be very cruel. I hate that. Like somehow they don't see that they're all in the same crazy boat. It's such a shame that they don't realize how much harm one nasty thing can do to a person!!!
 
I have no experience with this because washing well and toner seem to work fro my boys. (So far). If they skip bathing a day and toner for several, then they flare up bad. I even wipe their backs down with toner during sports season.

I have a friend who tried this with some results: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/12/wash-your-face-with-oili-dare-you.html

My friend uses extra virgin olive oil , not Sunflower seed oil.

I've also heard good things about using coconut oil for washing.

I've been trying some blackhead remedies from pinterest on my least sensitive kid. (None have worked for us so far. Some were stupid to begin with.) I have started using a brown sugar/honey scrub myself and it really works. (I won't use it on inflamed skin. But honey has a ton of antibacterial properties and smoothing some on as a mask couldn't hurt.)
 
My younger daughter, Abby, suffers terribly from acne. The important thing to realize is that cleaning, no matter how thorough or diligent, will not always help. Abby has tried everything, including every option available to the doctors, and nothing helped until recently. Just as for our older daughter when she was this age (although her acne was not as bad), the doctor, as a last resort, prescribed one of the birth control pills. It's expensive and not covered by our insurance, but we pay for it anyway, and it is making a difference. It's by no means solved the problem as a whole, but some long-standing spots have burst, and they never would before. I'm not sure what the equivalent would be for a young man.

Incidentally, the first thing the doctors usually suggest is one of the face creams advertised all the time on TV. Only if this doesn't work do they try some of the "big guns." I'll have to ask my wife what that cream is (it could well be Proactiv) that they recommend (although it didn't work for Abby).

PS - for some people, staying well clear of fast food can help.
 
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I'm 34 and I still struggle with acne. But in the last year or so I've had a lot of success with Dr Bronner's Castile Soap with tea tree oil. (side note -- I also use it as a body wash when traveling to save room in my bags and I also use it in a homemade clearner for toilets, sinks, and showers. couple that with the fact that a tiny bit goes a long way and it's quite the money saver, actually) I also use The Body Shop's Tea Tree Face Mask -- I usually just spot treat the problem areas with this when something really bad pops up.

(I didn't read through the whole thread, so my apologies if these products have been discussed. :))
 
We have very little humidity in this part of California; it is very dry. All facial cleansers dry out my face on top of the climate. If I use them, my skin becomes hypersensitive and produces more oil. Acne has never been a big problem for me, but when I used facial cleansers, I would develop pimples on a regular basis. I have been using oil to clean my face for more than a few years now, and I love it. It cleanses very well, and it also keeps my skin from drying out. It still gets a little dry at times, especially when I am outside all day. So I use an oil mix with essential oils to moisturize after washing with oil. I love it. Pimples have been down to no more than a few a year, and they are very small and short lived. My blotches from pregnancy also went away. After having them for over ten years, I never thought anything would take them away. :D
 
So I can relate to your son. I had acne all of my life throughout preteen to teenage years right onto my adult life when it got worse. i tried everything. I was so frustrated that I would hide my face when talking to people. It was embarrassing. As an adult my face broke out so bad sometimes it hurt to touch it. Nothing helped. Eliminating wheat products helped a little, avoiding too much caffeine also helped. But I recently spoke to a hairdresser of all people who suggested some things. And they have helped. So here they are. If you choose to go the medicated route just remember you will have to use them for a really long time. Most likely though they will not work. If you don't have luck with over the counter then most of the prescription stuff won't work. Except perhaps accutane but that is harsh and expensive. So here are the suggestions:
1. Have yours son put a t-shirt over his pillow at night. Change it everyday just like he does his clothes. Never use the same one. You can do this with pillow cases but t-shirts are softer and less expensive so you can buy a bunch just for his pillow.
2. use Noxema to wash his face. Put it on before getting in the shower leave it on for like 5 minutes and then rinse it off. Don't use a wash cloth on the face as this can irritate the pores causing them to produce more sebum and making the break out worse.
3. Keep the face moisturized. I know I know but my kids face is already oily. Thats because it is dry. If you keep the skin moisturized the pores will not have to produce as much nasty oil which in turn will keep the pores open. I use vitamin E oil to moisturize. It isn't super greasy and it is great for the skin. I put it on when I get out of the shower 2-3 times a week.
4. Only use spot treatments when the break out is super bad. Otherwise let it heal on its own.
5. Go ahead and remove those black heads. Go to a spa and have them do an exfoliate and black head removal. That way the pores are empty when you start doing new stuff. I recommend doing this when he is on school break as this will most definitely make it worse before it gets better.

Tell him not to stress out. It will go away especially once he starts dating ;) But I can't stress enough moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Never scrub the face as that irritates it.

Good Luck and hears to a clearer face :)
 
funny, tea tree makes me break out. I cannot imagine using a product with it as a cleanser. different skin different strategy.
 
You have to look at the root cause of the acne. It could be hormonal - saw palmetto might help depending on the type of hormone imbalance. Diet is another biggie!

I actually have been using magnesium oil on my face lately and it has some amazing healing properties. Plus, many of us are deficient in magnesium and it absorbs through the skin better than taking a pill. (I make my own with 1 c. magnesium flakes dissolved in 1 c. boiling water. Put in a spray bottle.)

I would caution against benzoyl peroxide. It works but it ages the skin and is banned in some countries due to cancer risk. Better to work on the underlying health issues that cause the acne in the first place.
 
Not all remedies can be applicable to your son so better consult a dermatologist so the right prescription can be given. I had acne before I was lucky my mom like you is very supportive she brought me to a doctor and had my acne treated.
 
My daughter once had a problem with acne. I brought her to the dermatologist and she was taught how to give extra care to her skin. She has a beautiful skin now. :)
 
Maybe it also depends on his lifestyle? I've heard that exercise, 8 hours of quality sleep, drinking lots of water and eating fruits and vegetables help. And he should avoid touching his face if always does.
 
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