Acne help for teen!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the short term, go to a derm that also has facials etc. Get a facial and ask the derm for a quick solution that can get her though day 1.

A chemical peel would also help. I did several as a teen in addition to topicals and oral medication from the derm.

[Anonymous]

Differin works well. But, it's pretty strong. It cleared DD's skin but created some red dry patches. You can buy it at CVS or Target.

[Anonymous]

Remember to be gentle! I say this as someone who had acne (including bad hormonal cystic acne) for nearly 20 years. Don't let teenage acne get you into a cycle of harsh products that strip your skin's barrier and make it worse. If your daughter's skin is getting dry, irritated, or peel-y, STOP USING THAT PRODUCT. I would recommend a 2% salicylic acid product like Paula's Choice or COSRX.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember to be gentle! I say this as someone who had acne (including bad hormonal cystic acne) for nearly 20 years. Don't let teenage acne get you into a cycle of harsh products that strip your skin's barrier and make it worse. If your daughter's skin is getting dry, irritated, or peel-y, STOP USING THAT PRODUCT. I would recommend a 2% salicylic acid product like Paula's Choice or COSRX.

Thanks! I am concerned about this. I didn’t have acne as a teen, but I have extremely sensitive skin and spent way too much time an energy trying to repair my skin’s barrier after perioral dermatitis.

[Anonymous]

OP, not at all affiliated with the brand, but I highly recommend the acne.org three-step system. I have had acne since my teens and it has worked wonders. Proactiv worked so-so; I tried everything else short of Accutane, and the only other thing that was okay was BCP.

[Anonymous]

Be careful with Accutane - it works but is known to cause depression and suicide as a side effect. I experienced it as a teen but didn’t realize it was due to the Accutane until I went off it.

Best solution for me was BCP.

[Anonymous]

I feel like your daughter needs a treatment that is very post-milenial, reasonable and social media approved. I'm a middle aged woman and yet I tried CUROLOGY. It's fantastic!
They basically made a custom-made cream based on my photos and stated skin problems. You can adjust time frames for each shipment and it's basically individually curated combo of ingredients that will clear your skin. I believe they figured out my skin map that's aging yet oily skin prone to blemishes - I love it. Highly recommended.
They also have forums where people her age discuss their progress. It will get her into this problem solving that will not only clear her skin but also give her so much knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Paula's Choice acne line. At your DD's age, Clinique saved me, but birth control pills were the only thing that made my face completely clear up.

[Anonymous]

Panoxyl. You can get it at Walmart or Harris Teeter. It cleared DH face right up, he used to have a lot of acne.

[Anonymous]

birth control pills do wonders, as others have said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Accutane - it is the only thing that works. We struggled with my teenage DS for over 2 years with Epi-Duo, topical retin A, etc. before finally doing Accutante. Even my ped siad - try the others first, but the only thing that works is Accutante. I wish we would have gone straight to Accutane and I say this as someone who is generally embraces more holistic health solutions. Sometimes you unfortunately need the pharma big guns, as much as I hate saying that.

X2. We had the same experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, not at all affiliated with the brand, but I highly recommend the acne.org three-step system. I have had acne since my teens and it has worked wonders. Proactiv worked so-so; I tried everything else short of Accutane, and the only other thing that was okay was BCP.

NP. I was just scrolling to the end to post exactly this. It takes time to work, but everything does -- there aren't any quick fixes. But one of the key messages of acne.org is that acne is inflammation, and stripping your skin's protective barriers and being rough physically in popping, scrubbing, rubbing, etc. can cause or exacerbate acne.

There are detailed instructions on how to use the acne.org products, and you can order them in small/travel or intermediate sizes. If they work you can get the large bottles and I think they have a subscription.

My 17 year old DS started having bad forehead acne recently (not helped by the fact that his hair is long in front and he messes with it all the time, putting his hands on his face, and he also touches/squeezes his acne all the time). The acne.org system has helped clear it up where Differin did nothing -- it's not gone but it's at least 85% better. The key thing I've had to nag him on is consistency in using in twice a day, not just at night after he showers. And that he has to do the washing part, not just slap on some zit treatment and go.

In addition to trying to cut out dairy and also cut way, way down on sugar (which is healthy anyway for many reasons), your dd might also try supplementing with a zinc/copper balanced supplement. And definitely get those silicone pimple patches and have her use them at night, after her treatment has dried. It's like those fancy Band-Aids that you use for blisters -- it helps reduce the zits and inflammation, and it also covers them up so the zits don't get touched or squeezed. Even if, like my ds, she only wants to wear them at night, they really do speed up healing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the short term, go to a derm that also has facials etc. Get a facial and ask the derm for a quick solution that can get her though day 1.

Antibiotics are usually a good, quick, temporary solution.

I have heard numerous times, that it's not good to use antibiotics because it leads to bacterial resistance. Considering that it's only a temporary solution anyway, I have no idea why dermatologists even prescribe them. Does anyone know the answer to this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the short term, go to a derm that also has facials etc. Get a facial and ask the derm for a quick solution that can get her though day 1.

Antibiotics are usually a good, quick, temporary solution.

I have heard numerous times, that it's not good to use antibiotics because it leads to bacterial resistance. Considering that it's only a temporary solution anyway, I have no idea why dermatologists even prescribe them. Does anyone know the answer to this?

I think it is to resolve the acute flare up going on. Once it clears and abx stopped, and new regimen is started, hopefully the large flare ups would be prevented.

[Anonymous]

Just putting this out there.

My DD had three Accutane failures. She did some research and thought it might be a hormonal thing. so we went to an OB/Gyn, who said PCOS and took a hormone blood draw. DD had testosterone over 100. She began taking spironalactone and now has only the very occasional flare up. Almost nothing else will help if it's high testosterone, except sometimes BC (only particular brands) can work (didn't for DD).

Think about getting your DD tested--we could have avoided seven years of misery if we had done this early on.