What is best for acne?

[frowningfrog]

My 9 yr old dd has a bit of acne on her cheeks,...


What would you reccomend for her..?
Both myself and her dad had terrible acne as kids, I would hate to have her go through that as well.

[boobybunny]

Get her a facial wash for now, and then when the time comes or it gets much worse, go to a derm.

[moondiapers]

a face wash with tea tree extract in it and an oil free moisturizer. You have to moisturize after washing or the skin will make up for it by producing more oil.

[frowningfrog]

Thanks I will have her try that for now and see how it works for her..

[mrs.felt]

burts bees "complexion bar" is the only thing that cleared my face up. it's a bit pricey but well worth it.

[MossbackMeadow]

My 15 son has very bad skin.
We've tried darn near everything over the last 2 years - Proactive, University Health products, topical erythromycin.
As a last resort, he just started taking some minocycline and using retin A. The difference in a few days is amazing.
I don't want him on the antibiotic, but at this point, I guess we'll try it for a few months and see what happens.

[3boysmom]

My ds has had great results from proactive. People always comment on his beautiful skin. Pricey, but it works and is easy enough for a very busy teenager to keep up with.

[LadyMarmalade]

My only suggestion is not to use a foaming facial wash - use a cleansing/milk/cream one instead. The foam strips all of the oil away and the skin will compensate by producing extra oil. I used to use a foaming wash and my skin was a mess - as soon as I changed to a cleansing milk my skin cleared up.

[caligirl]

PROACTIV realllly works! and it would be a good start for her to "get into" a face care regimen as it is a 3 step process. She'll thank you for it later!!!!!!

[Lula's Mom]

Do they still make Proactiv with Benzoyl peroxide? I remember a few years ago when I ordered it. I was pretty let down to discover that it was just BP, for that price! I sent it back and got my money back.

I use Burt's Bees complexion bar. When I break out every month before my period, I spot-apply a generic 10% benzoyl peroxide cream that I bought at the drugstore for $1.48. It works pretty well. I hear some people do really well with salicylic acid, though it doesn't work for me (neither does tea tree oil.)

[papaya]

The Family herbal by Rosemary gladstar has some really good advice on skin care...although it may be hard for a 9 year old to follow.....depending on the child. Stripping the skin by drying all the oils out w/ soap is not going to do any good in the long run. Just make the face more oily (i've dealt w/ acne for all of my teenage years) If you're going to spend money than you may look at Dr. Hushka's catalogue. (pretty pricey but it's all natural/organic and works to balance out skin...they also have an "inner cosmetic" that is an herbal capsule that balances your system out internally...which is usually the cause) But you can also make your own face care stuff pretty cheap. Bentonite Clay mixed w/ witch hazel works really well. I still have acne though not nearly as bad as it used to be. Right now I wash w/ pure unscented castile soap, put some witch hazel on, and Dr. Huschka's oil that's specificly for oily skin. Before my period I'll do a clay mask if I've got enough energy.....hope something helps....also if your child doesn't notice it...you may not want to point it out, Good luck

[Marlet]

Nothing ever worked for me!!! I tried all the stuff I could so I fainlly asked a doctor about it and they gave me Clyndamycin Gel (sp?) and that stuff rocks!!!!! I'd say try that out. The results were pretty quick for me too....I think it was noticeably better within a week.

[shanagirl]

There was a recent thread with this same question. Several people recommended limiting dairy as much as possible, and I second this from my personal experience. In addition to my personal success each time I cut back on dairy, I also saw an article about a week ago --can't remember where but it was mainstream-- that talked about a theory that commercial milk production uses iodine in cleaning the equipment and animals and trace amounts get into the milk and aggravate acne.

I use a mild goats' milk soap, rinse like crazy, and use a fresh pillowcase washed with mild detergent--no fabric softener or scent--every night. My dermatologist also recommended using a dandruff shampoo every few days. She also told me absolutely no moisturizer on my face. I have very oily skin.

As you probably know from your experience, help your dd but don't dwell on it.

[jaidymama]

I have lived with acne for a longtime, and have researched a lot... Here's what I know:

Because acne is typically caused by one of two things (food allergy and/or hormones), the over the counter "treatment" typically involves dealing with the symptoms. Dermatology usually recommends a gentle face wash and/or a chemical or drug treatment. A third reason (in conjunction with regular acne) is pores become clogged from makeup (which often is used to cover up acne which can make it worse anyways...) THere are thousands of products out there--a lot of improvements since stridex pads came out when I was a teenager

First, figure out the type of skin your daughter has right now... sensitive, oily, combo, dry, etc. And figure out what kind of acne is she getting (blackheads, whiteheads, boils, etc.); this will determine what kind of "treatment" you will need... Be aware a lot of acne products are too harsh and can OVERDRY skin which makes it even oilier (the outer layer of skin actually gets drier but the folicles pump out more oil to compensate for the loss), which leads to more pimples for some.

So if your daughter is just having a few pimples, then a spot treatment might work better rather than using a treatment facewash for her entire face kwim??

Spot Treatment Suggestions: Put a dot of mud mask or toothpaste on the pimple to dry it out.... there are plenty of home remedies which are very inexpensive and work well (see a book suggestion below). While $$ sometimes indicates better products, it's not always the case for acne treatment products... I've used (successfully) Sonya Dakar Drying Potion (it's about $25, and is the only thing that works for me).

Also consider that things like hair and hands touching the face can add bacteria and oil to the face... which can lead to inflamed hair follicles.

If you and your dh experienced bad acne in your teens, then you know the importance of teaching your daughter proper care... like not popping a pimple or keeping hands away from the face. Consider getting her tested for allergies... I found that if I eat pistachios that my face gets a few oily/watery pimples. IMO Since she is still pretty young, you could probably wait to start a specific cleansing routine... like the proactiv that was recommended. Even just using a wash cloth or splashing water on the face is a great way to clean it.

A warning: the industry is filled with many products with products that don't and can't keep their promise. In addition to suggestions above, I would strongly recommend trying to use some home rememdies before spending lots of $$$ on the products. There are several books that you could check out at the library or buy used that may help. One that I just got this summer: "naturally Healthy SKin" by Stephanie Tourles. I haven't read the entire thing, but they are simple, and logical suggestions IMO. I've tried everything from drug store Noxema to Stridex to Mary Kay to expensive Sothys to Sonya Dakar to Phytomer... and still searching.

Things that did work for me: cutting out dairy (I drink soy, also because dairy gives me migraines), and using a gentle/moisturizing cleansing wash and lotion. Also, I bought a steamer... (a bowl of boiling water worked too) when I was using it often it did help clear things up (put my head over the steam with a towel over my head). the steam causes the pores to sweat which eliminates the sebum from the pore (in theory). Of course I'm neither an esthetician nor a dermatologist. But hope that helps.

[frowningfrog]

I have heard such conflicting reports on Proactive so I think Ill pass on that,,.

She really doesnt eat to much dairy , but I sure will try to cut her back if she starts to go overboard.

Thanks for all the advice there is so many good things to try.
Right now it is just a small area of small pimples hugh on her cheeks so I will most likley try the spot treatment way.
Plus she is going to Aruba friday with her grandparents...hoping the salt water will help it /....lucky chick huh...

thanks

[aceboo]

i didn't kind out till i was nursing ds that dairy aggravated his eczema...and that I HAD IT TOO!(and thought it was all acne), now, I keep my skin under control with dairy AND taking EFA's -i take Udo's choice oil with omega 6's and 9's
fish oil or something similar would likely work for her.
eating fresh coconut and drinking the water helps as well-has my skin lookin GOOD
hugs to her, i've been there

at one point, i used the body shop's tea tree oil mattifying gel

[DevaMajka]

What works for me (sad- I *still* have outbreaks) is Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi (I got it at a health food store). (I water it down about half, so its really way less expensive than it seems)

And for pimples that are already there, the best I've found is Clean and clear max strength acne treatment- its in a little tube, and it only goes on individual pimples. Seriously, most pimples I put this on are gone in a day.

Good luck finding something that works.

[nextcommercial]

Mostly, my daughter uses Neutrogena Spot shot (I think thats the name) and it works very well for her.

I also got her Proactive. But, she doesn't follow it up like she is supposed to. It worked well for her, but I won't buy it again, because she wont use it properly.

[Cheshire]

I had the worst acne when I was pregnant and it just would not go away after Charlie was born. I tried it all, went to the dermatologist and was given awful pills and face cleansers, etc. All perscription, very strong and still didn't cut it.

I resisted ProActiv for a long time but finally gave in when DH and I were flipping through the stations and saw part of the infomercial. Dh encouraged me to at least try it so I did.

It has made all the difference in the world, is very gentle for my skin (I've got pretty sensitive skin) and people comment on how beautiful my skin is now.

I just use the wash, toner and moisturizer. I don't use the other "repair" cream (or something like that, I can't remember the exact name -- it's the stuff with the benz peroxide in it) on a regular basis, I just put it on spots when I start to get pimples and it usually clears them up in a day or two. And, I only tend to get pimples now right before my period.

It is expensive and I've heard a lot of great things about Acne Free. I've heard it very similar, works as well, you can get it at Target and it is much cheaper.

My dh had horrible acne in his teens and 20s until he learned to take better care of his skin. He parents took him to a dermatologist and all she did was give him strong antibiotics and schedule weekly zit picking appointments so she could take care of them for him.

We both agree that if our kids end up with acne we will search for other alternatives first, like you are doing.

Best wishes and I hope you find the right combo soon.

[Yo Becca]

My experience: the acne-oriented cleansers were way too strong, and the creamy spot treatments were too harsh. I have normal to dry skin, with some oily spots when I was younger. I second that you have to moisturize to compensate for cleaning off the oils.

I highly recommend a gentle non-soap cleanser - I use Cetaphil (a bit pricey, but there are generics - gentle enough to wash a baby) and Basic pump facial cleanser (by Johnson and Johnson - a little more drying than the cetaphil but much gentler than most foaming washes). I use cetaphil int he morning and Basic at night to wash the day away - but either works fine alone.

I then use Nutrogena Multi-Vitamin Acne treatment - it's gentle, non-drying and you can use it regularly all over your face. It keeps acne away and treats what's there.

THat has some moisturizing elements, but I also use Basic dual-purpose moisturizing and SPF lotion. It's simple, non-greasy, won't cause breakouts.

FOr zits I second the Clean and Clear treatment that is clear and comes in a tube - it is super fast. Clean and Clear also makes a acne fighting moisturizer that is stronger than the Nutrogena - but I find it harsher too, and only have used it when desparate.

I bought proactive when I had terrible acne right after Robin was born. I found it to be harsher than I wanted - but if you have very oily skin I can see the appeal. I would try OTC stuff before I shelled out the $40 plus shipping.

I've tried natural products as well and I have been very disappointed and felt like I wasted my money. THere are gentle products from mainstream companies that are more effective.