OTC acne treatment for 13yo boy

[Anonymous]

13yo DS is getting mild but regular acne. He's currently just washing with Cerave at night, but I think he needs to add something to more directly address the acne. What are your teen boys using to keep their skin clear? Not quite ready to go straight to rx medication at this point.

[Anonymous]

Post Covid, send him to a spa every 2-4 weeks for a mild facial and extractions.

And make sure 90% of what he drinks is plain water.

[Anonymous]

Are you using the Salicylic acid Versace or the regular kind?

[Anonymous]

Cerave not Versace LOL.

My phone should know me better by now.

[Anonymous]

My daughter developed what we thought was mild acne at 12 as well. Please do yourself a favor and get him RX help now. We tried everything over the counter for a year and the dermatologist told us she had the kind of acne that simply doesn't respond well to facial washes. She only has minor scarring but we really regret not taking what we thought was a teen problem more seriously with a tween. Early acne isn't a sign of poor hygiene, but a sign of serious acne prone skin that needs medical treatment.

[Anonymous]

OP-- DS14 uses 5% benzoyl peroxide wash + differen at night.


In the morning, he uses a 10% benzoyl peroxide spot treatment cream after his shower.

It works pretty well if he does it regularly. I notice his skin breaks out if he's out of his skin routine or (like now, during break) doesn't shower each morning.

I expect he will need to see the dermatologist in a year or so, but right now, this is keeping moderate, non-cystic acne under control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP-- DS14 uses 5% benzoyl peroxide wash + differen at night.


In the morning, he uses a 10% benzoyl peroxide spot treatment cream after his shower.

It works pretty well if he does it regularly. I notice his skin breaks out if he's out of his skin routine or (like now, during break) doesn't shower each morning.

I expect he will need to see the dermatologist in a year or so, but right now, this is keeping moderate, non-cystic acne under control.

The key with with the Differen, is that you have to use the benzoyl peroxide wash--ideally about one hour before the cream at bedtime. It's all a bit of a hassle, but I don't want to put him on more significant acne treatments until it's necessary. OTC face creams take awhile to start working, so don't be discouraged if you don't see results right away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13yo DS is getting mild but regular acne. He's currently just washing with Cerave at night, but I think he needs to add something to more directly address the acne. What are your teen boys using to keep their skin clear? Not quite ready to go straight to rx medication at this point.

Benzoyl peroxide wash cerave and treat problem areas with benzole peroxide cream
Wash face in am and pm
Oil free light face cream so face doesn’t dry out cerave pm works
Make sure of he puts anything in hair it’s not oily

[Anonymous]

Paula's Choice 2% BHA which is salicylic acid. They will need to wear sunscreen though over it during the day.

It's amazing the terrible, harsh products we used to put on our skin as children back in the day!

[Anonymous]

My derm highly recommended La Roche Effaclar
System. Can get on Amazon.

[Anonymous]

Cerave is super commedogenic, check cosdna. La riche posay TOLERIANE HYDRATING GENTLE FACIAL CLEANSER and differin.

[Anonymous]

I just got my 15-year old son a Curology subscription. Super fast and easy, and seems to be working already.

[Anonymous]

Proactiv teen kit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My derm highly recommended La Roche Effaclar
System. Can get on Amazon.

My DD with an allergy to be Benzoyl peroxide uses the matte face cream and likes it.

OP, if the acne is not that bad you could stick with some over-the-counter products. If it gets worse though, I would see a dermatologist. My DD turned out to be allergic to benzoyl peroxide. I would have never known. Now that we’ve got her on benzoyl peroxide free treatments her acne is so much better. It is also important that if your child develops cystic acne that you take him to a dermatologist as well. My older child has massive cystic acne and he’s on two different topical meds right now. He was doing an antibiotic but we stop that after six months. Accutane is also recommended, but my child is not able to use Accutane as it’s contraindicated with the medication that he currently takes. So, like I said start with over the counter benzoyl Prock side products. But, know that you may have to see a dermatologist if those regimens don’t work or are causing more harm.

[Anonymous]

I know this is in teens but I have been using cerave because everyone raves about it and it’s breaking me out like crazy. Does anyone know another alternative for a face wash and moisturizer? I also tried cetaphil which my skin can tolerate but I feel like I need to still tackle the acne and a good moisturizer