Adolescent acne
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enjoys freebies · Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:22 pm Quote

My son is 13 and has significant acne. Thankfully it isn't cystic, but they can get quite red and angry-looking. This is what he has tried: benzoyl peroxide, clearasil, neutrogena, eryacne, duac, clindamycin, sulphur based treatments and recently salicylic acid-based treatments. What helped alot initially was the md-sulphur based cream, then the salicylic acid gel. The PSF mud is also good. BUT, his skin is getting really dried-out and he is not free of his acne. It is only on his face. He plays alot of sport outdoors - we live in Australia so I am not keen on oral tetracyclines and I definitely want to avoid roaccutane. He will cleanse and apply the treatments, but he is not keen to moisturize. Any suggestions? Anybody?

enjoys freebies · Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:49 am Quote

peppy wrote:

My son is 13 and has significant acne. Thankfully it isn't cystic, but they can get quite red and angry-looking. This is what he has tried: benzoyl peroxide, clearasil, neutrogena, eryacne, duac, clindamycin, sulphur based treatments and recently salicylic acid-based treatments. What helped alot initially was the md-sulphur based cream, then the salicylic acid gel. The PSF mud is also good. BUT, his skin is getting really dried-out and he is not free of his acne. It is only on his face. He plays alot of sport outdoors - we live in Australia so I am not keen on oral tetracyclines and I definitely want to avoid roaccutane. He will cleanse and apply the treatments, but he is not keen to moisturize. Any suggestions? Anybody?

I'm dealing with the same thing with my son, now 15 - also not cystic (just the occasional "underground") but persistent breakouts that look red, plus he picks without thinking of what he is doing.

He is now under the care of a dermatologist but I don't agree with the advice 100%, so I add some steps at home - I really only wanted to get him into see one to get the prescrition retin-a. One product that has worked well, and we got him started through the pediatrician is a prescription topical antibiotic called Benzaclin - he first started using it all over his face twice a day - cleared up a lot of the angry red breakouts in a few weeks. Here's where I disagree with the derm, who said to only use it as a spot treatment - he immediately got worse, so I have him back to using it all over in the morning and retin-a at night. The derm wants him using a benzoyl peroxide wash morning and night - I don't like it and may have him switch back to something milder - he was using a cleanser from PSF that has colloidal silver which I thought did the same thing as the bp cleanser and it's milder. He also takes an oral antibiotic, but as you are trying to avoid that (I did too) you could try the rest in the meantime.

The best thing I have found for spot treating is any kind of clay mask + sulfur - PSF has a good one, but the Queen Helene Mint Julep one works too.

Once in awhile, when his face looks too blotchy and picked at (he does this unconsciously) I have him wash after school and then put some Manuka Honey all over like a mask (not much, as it does drip) - it disinfects, moisturizes and keeps his hands away for awhile. About once a week I make a homemade clay mask that includes ACV, honey, lactic acid and aspirin.

To be honest, his skin is never really 100% clear, but by doing most of the above treatments, it's much, much better, and is clear enough to make him less self conscious. It think it will be an issue for the next few years, until his hormones settle down.

Betsy

enjoys freebies · Sun Nov 04, 2007 3:35 pm Quote

Thanks Betsy. I will look into that PSF cleanser. The benzoyl peroxide gels and washes just bleached my bed linen and towels and dried him up so badly. I will see if he is prepared to blob on some clay mask on his bad spots. Like a typical male he freaks out everytime I put a mask on my face! Even the dog goes beserk - also a male.

enjoys freebies · Sun Nov 04, 2007 3:45 pm Quote

I am not sure if you will be able to get this product where you are since i am in the UK but SBC do a Propolis gel which has great antibacterial properties similar to manuka honey but as it is a waterbased gel it soaks right in so can be used all over the face several times a day or can be applied thickly as a mask too. I get it from QVCuk , the official web site is www.SBCgels.co.uk however they are much more expensive i think there are a few other sites selling it if you google SBC gels. HTH

Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:35 am Quote

I have started doing different things with my face as of late the the latest and greatest has been aspirin and honey masks.

I had a huge cystic? zit that had been building up for a while on my jawline. I was on the road for work and I had brought some aspirin along and since I had read on tripadvisor that there was a McDonalds next door, I figured I would get the honey from there so as not to take up precious space in my Ziploc. The first night I used that combo, it seemed to suck all the stuff up to the surface and it hurt worse the next day. I was very frustrated, but did it again the next night and I'll be darned if most of the ick was out and the mark seemed more than halfway healed the next morning. And that was with cheapo McD's honey.

I have not been able to try that on anymore crazy acne as I think that one came about trying the oil cleansing method, but it works wonders on the little spots that pop up on my face. Honey is fabulous for moisture and maybe a drop of jojoba oil in the mask might help moisturize his face.

Maybe if it's not a colored clay mask, he and the dog might not be so adverse to it Laughing

enjoys freebies · Sun Nov 11, 2007 4:56 pm Quote

Thanks icesiren. Does the honey come off onto the bed linen? Does it feel sticky? Will the dog try and eat him? Will give it a go.

Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:05 pm Quote

peppy wrote:

Thanks icesiren. Does the honey come off onto the bed linen? Does it feel sticky? Will the dog try and eat him? Will give it a go.

Maybe just lick him to death! Laughing

I actually do a mask before bed and leave it on for 15 minutes and sometimes 45 if I have the time. I have used only aspirin on problem spots and let it dry and wiped off the excess and left it on overnight. Let me know how it works for him. You may want to try it too, it really brightens up the complexion Smile

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