Need advice for my son’s acne

[Annie Elle]

My 17 yo son has had mild acne that he has somewhat controlled with mild soap and clearisil pads. In the past month or so, it’s getting worse and I’m looking for solutions to help. He doesn’t have cystic acne. I’d like to see if we can control it ourselves first before going to a dermatologist but will definitely do so if we haven’t gotten it under control in the next few months. I’ve been searching the internet and YouTube and am overwhelmed. There’s just too much information and most places are trying to sell their product. 
 

Right now the acne is covering his whole face and he has dry and oily areas. His diet is terrible and I would love for him to eat better. He has healthy food available to him. Maybe this will be the motivator for a healthy diet? My daughter’s acne cleared when she cut dairy out of her diet and he knows this. The acne is now bothering him enough to ask for help and I believe that he will work on a skin regimen.

Do you have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

[Rosie_0801]

It's a nutritional problem and the solution to that is to eat properly.
Perhaps he'd prefer the acne to eating properly though, and at 17, that's his call to make, really.

[Corraleno]

Differin is a very effective OTC retinoid that used to be prescription only, that's probably where I would start. Pair it was a salicylic face wash (I like Cerave's) and a non oily moisturizer. Don't skip the moisturizer on the assumption that oily skin doesn't need it, because letting the skin get too dry will make things worse.

The next step up from that would be a service like Curology. They have in-house dermatologists who will prescribe a custom formula that includes tretinoin and other meds that are good for acne. You can sign up for just the custom formula or get the whole package with cleanser, moisturizer, and spot treatments. They do a free trial that's like $5 for shipping, and then the formula is $20/month (shipped every two months with a charge of $40). DS went through Accutane treatment with a dermatologist and now uses Curology for maintenance. There are similar services as well, maybe others have used those and can recommend them.

I also think that a healthier diet and no dairy has helped DS's acne a lot as well. If your son's diet isn't the greatest, I would add a good multivitamin that includes zinc.

[Kassia]

It's been a long time since my kids had acne but I remember Neutrogena's On the Spot treatment helped a lot.  You just have to be careful because it will leave bleach spots on towels, pillowcases, and anything else it touches.  

[MercyA]

I've heard good things about Differin but it did not work for DD14. We tried lots of things and this is what works best for us:

1. Change pillowcases every night or every other night

2. Wash with acne.org cleanser twice a day

3. Apply a thin layer of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel twice a day over all trouble areas (not just on pimples)--we use Dr. Song from Amazon. At night she rubs an ice cube all over her face after washing, pats her face dry, then applies the gel while her face is still cold. My mom read about this years ago when I had acne. Worked for me and it works for her.

Best of luck! Hope you find a good solution. 

[Selkie]

34 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

It's a nutritional problem and the solution to that is to eat properly.
Perhaps he'd prefer the acne to eating properly though, and at 17, that's his call to make, really.

Yes, this. I have heard multiple doctors say that the #1 cause of acne is diet, with dairy being the worst offender.

[catz]

I do think diet can help a lot.  Cutting back on dairy is good (my kids can't drink milk, but some cheese is fine).  I think watching processed sugar.  Good multivitamin.  Could consider a probiotic, plenty of fiber intake.  

Wash pillowcases regularly.

But the proactiv line was super helpful for me as a young adult and I got my kids a knock off that has both been good for them.  It will bleach towels so you do need to watch that.  I encourage them to use the scrub right before they get  into the shower.  

[Toocrazy!!]

I think some drs are saying acne is basically an inflammatory disease - on the cellular level. So, cutting out sugar and processed foods, seed oils, adding anti inflammatory foods like veggies, nuts, berries, olive oil etc should help. 

That said, sometimes hard for teenage boys to comply:) My DS did have really good success with Curology. 

[Clarita]

I agree with everyone above. However since it seems to have just gotten worse recently, check if something has changed recently. Did he try to use a new face thing? Or has he started a new bottle of something he's used for a long time (sometimes companies change formula out of nowhere)?

I had mild acne until my twenties, sometimes better sometimes worse. Until one time I tried some face stuff and got redness, burning sensation, really bad. I went to see the dermatologist and he basically said back off of everything, essentially water and the mildest soap possible. Long story short all my acne went away (which would be abnormal for a 17 year old boy). I discovered I'm very sensitive to the -zoate chemicals popularly used in sunscreen.  

[2squared]

I took my 17yo (at the time) to the dermatologist, and the Derm gave him meds which definitely helped. Ds won’t use acutane, so we are fortunate the antibiotics are working. The meds take 3-4 months to work, so I wouldn’t wait very long before going to a dermatologist….And Derm appointments where I live are booked 3-4 months out. I would schedule something now so you have an appointment if things don’t clear up. 
 

My DS is has a very healthy diet. As a dedicated athlete, he’s very particular about his body health. His acne took off last August when he was wearing a football helmet for hours every day in the summer heat. I really wish I had gotten him into the dermatologist as soon as we saw the acne spread. In my son’s case, the acne pushed us into severe mental health issues. Nearly a year later, the acne is under control but the mental health issues are still severe. 

[Kassia]

@2squaredI'm so sorry about the mental health issues. 

[Garga]

I bite the bullet and spend the money on the cleanser, treatment, and moisturizer from acne.org. I *think* it works, but I just can’t get my 19 yo to use it the way he’s supposed to. But when he skips a few days, I can 100% tell, so on the weeks when he’s not skipping multiple days in a row, his skin gets better. He just Will Not Use It like he’s supposed to. But at 19, there’s not much I can do other than provide it for him and let him use it or not.

Since it does clear up when he’s mostly using it as he should (I don’t think he’s ever used it religiously…I think he skips treatments quite often), I think it probably works for people who use it day and night as they’re supposed to.

If you get it, read the instructions carefully, esp about starting with a small amt of treatment and building up to the full treatment over time.

[Arcadia]

I don’t have acne and my diet has never been healthy. My husband eats healthier and has acne.
However drinking coconut water when the weather is sweaty hot does help my teens. Running the humidifier in summer is also helping. Washing their faces with just water helps. For my kids, they basically need hydration that also detox, and they don’t do well with low humidity. 

[momto3innc]

Differin and proactiv worked very well here for my two kids who struggled somewhat with acne as long as they were used diligently. Both ended up with totally clear skin. 

Diet also made a huge difference too as did lots of water.

[BusyMom5]

I have 4 teens with acne, but very different skin and skin routines.

19 year old acne has been bad off and on, exacerbated by poor eating at college!  It wasn't that bad, but when she came home from college I was ready to take her to a Dr until I realized it was bad habits!  She uses Differin products and The Ordinary serum.  The Ordinary has helped with scaring,  Differin for acne control.  She washes with Neutrogena in the shower- Pert Plus shampoo, then wash everywhere shampoo got!  I think she is very inconsistent with her routine,  always too busy, up too late, etc. Eats whatever, whenever.  

17 year old- hers is usually not bad at all, but she's very consistent with her routine and she eats well.  I buy her the off-brand Acne Free set at Wal-Mart and she uses it exactly as she should morning and night.  

14 year old- just starting to get bad.  I got Differin Gel and it burned his face!  Very sensitive skin.  Ive got him washing more often with Neutrogena and using a topical just on bad ones.  I also explained to wash his hair, then scrub off with the Neutrogena.   I think shampoos can be irritating.  I bought him the Acne Free kit, but he wasn't interested- too much work.  

14 year old #2- not as bad as his twin, so he's just using Neutrogena face cleanser 2x a day.  

The 14 year olds are out sweating during the day and I explained that right now they need to rinse off their faces when they come in- its helping.  Also watch hair and hands on their faces.  I do use the pore masks on them, lol!  

[Spryte]

DS used Clearasil pads (and they worked) until 17, too. We added Neutrogena On the Spot, which helped for a bit.

He doesn’t eat dairy (allergic), but we did identify a food that causes flares.

He has a history of a particular tick borne disease (not Lyme) that caused a huge flare in acne with each time it relapsed. Treating that helped most.

We tried a few different options from the dermatologist, but finally landed on a OTC Benzoyl Peroxide wash, with an Rx from his pedi for a clindamyacin topical. No antibiotics.

[TechWife]

5 hours ago, Annie Elle said:

My 17 yo son has had mild acne that he has somewhat controlled with mild soap and clearisil pads. In the past month or so, it’s getting worse and I’m looking for solutions to help. He doesn’t have cystic acne. I’d like to see if we can control it ourselves first before going to a dermatologist but will definitely do so if we haven’t gotten it under control in the next few months. I’ve been searching the internet and YouTube and am overwhelmed. There’s just too much information and most places are trying to sell their product. 
 

Right now the acne is covering his whole face and he has dry and oily areas. His diet is terrible and I would love for him to eat better. He has healthy food available to him. Maybe this will be the motivator for a healthy diet? My daughter’s acne cleared when she cut dairy out of her diet and he knows this. The acne is now bothering him enough to ask for help and I believe that he will work on a skin regimen.

Do you have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

Talk to his pediatrician. They are experienced in treating teen acne.

[Ellie]

5 hours ago, Selkie said:

Yes, this. I have heard multiple doctors say that the #1 cause of acne is diet, with dairy being the worst offender.

This right here: DAIRY. Eliminate dairy ASAP, because it is NOT good for every body.

A friend's dh's nickname was Red, because of his acne. Really. Since high school. She did a diet clean-out and reboot, including eliminating dairy. She did not know, at that time, that dh's acne was caused by the dairy. After several months, her dh's face cleared up such that people who had known him since high school did not recognize him.

[mathnerd]

7 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

It's a nutritional problem and the solution to that is to eat properly.

Any tips on how to improve nutrition to eliminate acne? I have a teen too with this problem and I am willing to give it a go. He does eat a salad every day for one meal and no added sugars in anything but has very oily skin and sweats a lot.

[heartlikealion]

When I went to the dermatologist to diagnose my rosacea and get tips they recommended the brand CeraVe. I noticed they sell products for acne. If you're trying OTC stuff, I'd try that. 

[Rosie_0801]

12 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

Any tips on how to improve nutrition to eliminate acne? I have a teen too with this problem and I am willing to give it a go. He does eat a salad every day for one meal and no added sugars in anything but has very oily skin and sweats a lot.

From my reading acne is commonly caused by mineral deficiencies. 
Excessive sweating can be a vitamin d deficiency.

We evolved eating hundreds of different plant foods and now the recommended advice is to eat 30 different plant foods each week.
We're meant to eat as much variety as we can afford, I guess.

[mathnerd]

6 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

From my reading acne is commonly caused by mineral deficiencies. 
Excessive sweating can be a vitamin d deficiency.

We evolved eating hundreds of different plant foods and now the recommended advice is to eat 30 different plant foods each week.
We're meant to eat as much variety as we can afford, I guess.

Thanks a lot! I will work on more plant diversity.

Edited July 11, 2022 by mathnerd

[Rosie_0801]

Just now, mathnerd said:

Thanks a lot! I will work on more plant diversity.

I make use of the edible weeds in my yard and make a habit of stopping at ethnic grocers when I'm out of town. That adds diversity I can't buy at my local shop in this small, very un-diverse, regional town I don't get out of much. (Petrol prices! Eek!) 

[mathnerd]

Just now, Rosie_0801 said:

I make use of the edible weeds in my yard and make a habit of stopping at ethnic grocers when I'm out of town. That adds diversity I can't buy at my local shop in this small, very un-diverse, regional town I don't get out of much. (Petrol prices! Eek!) 

I have begun sprouting to add diversity. I sprout a lot of beans and lentils before cooking them. I also make broccoli sprouts, sunflower seed sprouts etc.

[Rosie_0801]

2 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

I have begun sprouting to add diversity. I sprout a lot of beans and lentils before cooking them. I also make broccoli sprouts, sunflower seed sprouts etc.

Ah! I've been meaning to start some sunflower lettuce! Thanks for the reminder!

[Selkie]

7 hours ago, mathnerd said:

Any tips on how to improve nutrition to eliminate acne? I have a teen too with this problem and I am willing to give it a go. He does eat a salad every day for one meal and no added sugars in anything but has very oily skin and sweats a lot.

Here's an interesting scientific paper on dietary intervention in acne:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408989/

Their conclusion:

Dietary intervention in acne should thus (1) decrease total energy, glucose and fat intake, (2) diminish insulin/IGF-1 signaling predominantly mediated by high dairy protein consumption, and (3) should limit the total leucine uptake predominantly provided by increased animal protein intake including meat and dairy proteins. This comprehensive dietary strategy can only be achieved by higher consumption of vegetables and fruit and reduction of animal-derived food.

 

[Ellie]

7 hours ago, mathnerd said:

Any tips on how to improve nutrition to eliminate acne? I have a teen too with this problem and I am willing to give it a go. He does eat a salad every day for one meal and no added sugars in anything but has very oily skin and sweats a lot.

Eliminate dairy products. All of them. It will take at least a month to see any improvements/changes.

[Arcadia]

10 hours ago, mathnerd said:

Any tips on how to improve nutrition to eliminate acne? I have a teen too with this problem and I am willing to give it a go. He does eat a salad every day for one meal and no added sugars in anything but has very oily skin and sweats a lot.

My teens skin has cleared up. We do eat pork for the heme iron. I “fed” them Chaokoh coconut water (zero fats, cholesterol), yogurt (normal, greek) and they drink lots of tea. Also their skin condition (sensitivity, acne) improves with Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-D3. 
It might seems counterintuitive for oily skin but water or a wipe off milk cleanser actually works better for my teens. Its like the more abrasive the cleanser, the more oil the skin produces. 

[Annie Elle]

Thank you everyone for replying. You all have been a huge help.

[crazyforlatin]

20 hours ago, 2squared said:

I took my 17yo (at the time) to the dermatologist, and the Derm gave him meds which definitely helped. Ds won’t use acutane, so we are fortunate the antibiotics are working. The meds take 3-4 months to work, so I wouldn’t wait very long before going to a dermatologist….And Derm appointments where I live are booked 3-4 months out. I would schedule something now so you have an appointment if things don’t clear up. 
 

My DS is has a very healthy diet. As a dedicated athlete, he’s very particular about his body health. His acne took off last August when he was wearing a football helmet for hours every day in the summer heat. I really wish I had gotten him into the dermatologist as soon as we saw the acne spread. In my son’s case, the acne pushed us into severe mental health issues. Nearly a year later, the acne is under control but the mental health issues are still severe. 

Apostrophe which is an online provider who prescribe antibiotics. I’ve found that for my teen the doxycycline initially worked and after the mandatory 90-day period of taking the pills, Dd’s acne came back within 2 weeks. We’re not trying spironolactone with a much lower dose of antibiotics. It’s been a month and there’s a slight improvement. But boys can’t take oral spironolactone, only topical version of it. 

[mathnerd]

5 hours ago, Arcadia said:

It might seems counterintuitive for oily skin but water or a wipe off milk cleanser actually works better for my teens. Its like the more abrasive the cleanser, the more oil the skin produces. 

My teen has been using a salicylic acid cleaner so far. I would like to try the milk cleanser option. Do you make it at home or is there a brand name that I should look for? Thank you!

[Arcadia]

14 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

My teen has been using a salicylic acid cleaner so far. I would like to try the milk cleanser option. Do you make it at home or is there a brand name that I should look for? Thank you!

DS17 used the salicylic acid cleanser once and didn’t like it. So we went the liquid detox route for both kids. For milk cleanser, I am currently using L’occitane because it was on sale at their premium outlet store. I have used Weleda and Shiseido as well. All of us have combination skin.
If your son don’t mind, chilled cucumber slices on the acne area is nice for summer and does help for acne as well. That’s what one of my aunt and some cousins did.  
You might want to try the frozen cucumber hack especially now that the weather is hot. https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/frozen-cucumber-tiktok-beauty-hack

[mathnerd]

35 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

DS17 used the salicylic acid cleanser once and didn’t like it. So we went the liquid detox route for both kids. For milk cleanser, I am currently using L’occitane because it was on sale at their premium outlet store. I have used Weleda and Shiseido as well. All of us have combination skin.
If your son don’t mind, chilled cucumber slices on the acne area is nice for summer and does help for acne as well. That’s what one of my aunt and some cousins did.  
You might want to try the frozen cucumber hack especially now that the weather is hot. https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/frozen-cucumber-tiktok-beauty-hack

Thank you. I now know what to look for! My DS complains that the Salicylic Acid burns his skin. So, I will look for the milk based cleanser.

[reign]

CeraVe  works well for my teens. One loves all things facial but can’t use any of it because her skin is so sensitive. She washes twice a day and uses a moisturizer    But anything else causes major breakouts. My oldest uses the face wash for oily skin every morning, night, and after exercise. She also does an over night spot treatment from Neutrogena. Her and middle dd can use the cleansing pads on their backs but not their faces. It causes both more acne breakouts on the face. 

I did not believe it would work at all but I went ahead and bought a blue light. I was kinda desperate to help my oldest with her forehead (her main trouble spot) I was very surprised but I actually think it works. We noticed an improvement after just one week. I’ve helped them use it on their backs and also think it’s helping there. 

It’s time consuming but oldest was pretty desperate so she’s putting in the effort. 

[scbusf]

My 14y.o. DD eats the healthiest I've ever seen anyone eat. Vegetarian, zero processed foods, zero added sugar, very little dairy - and she still had terrible acne. I wish I had taken her to the dermatologist sooner. She now has it under control, but she has some scarring. She already had mental health issues and this didn't help.

[Arcadia]

10 minutes ago, scbusf said:

. She now has it under control, but she has some scarring.

If you happen to have any anti-aging moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid, maybe let your daughter try. I used them because of dry cheeks and my chickenpox scars from 20 years ago look less obvious now. I have used a few brands so I don’t think the brand itself matters much.

[regentrude]

10 hours ago, Selkie said:

Here's an interesting scientific paper on dietary intervention in acne:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408989/

Their conclusion:

Dietary intervention in acne should thus (1) decrease total energy, glucose and fat intake, (2) diminish insulin/IGF-1 signaling predominantly mediated by high dairy protein consumption, and (3) should limit the total leucine uptake predominantly provided by increased animal protein intake including meat and dairy proteins. This comprehensive dietary strategy can only be achieved by higher consumption of vegetables and fruit and reduction of animal-derived food.

 

Would that mean that vegans don't suffer from acne?

[Selkie]

35 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Would that mean that vegans don't suffer from acne?

Read the paper - it’s a pretty interesting explanation of how the Western diet that is heavy in animal protein has caused an acne epidemic.

[regentrude]

13 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Read the paper - it’s a pretty interesting explanation of how the Western diet that is heavy in animal protein has caused an acne epidemic.

I have, but don't know enough metabolic chemistry to fully understand the details of the proposed mechanism.

My question whether vegans can have acne doesn't seem to be answered.

[Arcadia]

39 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I have, but don't know enough metabolic chemistry to fully understand the details of the proposed mechanism.

My question whether vegans can have acne doesn't seem to be answered.

I read the paper too and all it says are factors that may reduce acne. My male age peers who are vegans from birth have acne. My age peers who depend on heme iron like me don’t have acne (one tiny one or less per month). Maybe one day there would be genetic markers for who would be acne prone. 
 

@mathnerd sateen pillowcases were helpful not only for reducing the occurrence of acne for my teens, they were also useful for reducing rash on face.

ETA: majority of vegans I know are due to religious reasons. My ex-classmates would bring their own lunch everyday because there wasn’t vegan choices in the school cafeteria (70s to 90s).

Edited July 12, 2022 by Arcadia

[HSmomof2]

I’d at least schedule a dermatology appointment—here it takes a couple months to get in. Dd went about 6 months ago after trying many OTC and dietary things with limited success. The dermatologist prescribed topical clindamyacin and retin a, and her skin is very clear now. 

[Selkie]

52 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I have, but don't know enough metabolic chemistry to fully understand the details of the proposed mechanism.

My question whether vegans can have acne doesn't seem to be answered.

I sincerely doubt there is a group of people anywhere that are completely pimple-free, but science shows that diet has a huge influence.

Anecdotally, none of my three kids (all plant eaters in their 20s) have had a problem with acne.

I didn’t have acne, but my brother had severe cystic acne that lasted well into adulthood. I didn’t eat animal products and he ate a diet heavy in meat, dairy, and eggs. I wish the information about diet would have been available at that time, because he suffered greatly.

The whole food plant based eaters I know all have clear skin with a carotenoid glow (or tan, as it is sometimes referred to) from eating so many plants. Some of them had very bad cystic acne in their pre-WFPB days.

[Arcadia]

@crazyforlatin@regentrude@Selkie World's first acne genetics study gives hope for new treatment (Dec 2018)

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/world-first-acne-study-uncovers-hope-for-new-treatment

(ETA: study link https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07459-5)

”The study, published in Nature Communications, looked at the DNA of 26,722 people, including 5,602 who have severe acne. Researchers identified genetic variations in 15 genome regions that were more common in people with severe acne.

… Acne is a common skin condition affecting 80% of people aged 11-30. It causes spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that's hot or painful to touch. In severe cases, it can cause significant discomfort and distress, and can lead to permanent scarring. Although it’s more common in teenagers, it can appear and persist much later in life.

Lead author, Professor Jonathan Barker said: “In the last 20-30 years, there have been few advances in the way we treat acne, and the current main treatment has a number of significant side effects. Applying these genetic approaches to acne has never been done before, and it’s a significant leap forward. When you have insight into the genetic basis of a condition, you can develop much more effective treatments.

“For people with acne, it’s so important to have more treatments available. We need to treat people earlier and more effectively, so that they don’t get scars, which last even after the condition has come and gone.”

Treatment options for acne are limited, and the most effective current treatment, isotretinoin (Roaccutane) has significant side effects including dry skin and muscle aches. The treatment can also cause birth defects if taken by pregnant women.

… One of the genetic variants uncovered is known to be linked with the rare condition ectodermal dysplasia, which causes very sparse hair and body hair. It is caused when people have two copies of the mutated version of the WNT10A gene. People with only one copy of the WNT10A gene, however, are protected against acne.

He added: “It was surprising that so many of the variants appear to influence the structure and function of the hair follicle. It may be that the genetic variation influences the shape of these hair follicles and makes them more prone to bacteria and inflammation, which are a characteristic of acne.

“A number of the genetic variants point to interesting mechanisms that could be really good targets for new drugs or treatments that would really help patients.”

The research was funded by the NIHR through a number of grants, including support from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London and Galderma.”

Edited July 12, 2022 by Arcadia

[J-rap]

I have two dd's that had severe acne problems, one of them cystic and she need to go on a pretty strict prescription regiment.  The other dd had autoimmune issues, and interestingly, when she went on an anti-inflammatory diet plus over the counter Benzoyl peroxide, it seemed to do the trick!  You can google anti-inflammatory diets.

[scbusf]

4 hours ago, Arcadia said:

If you happen to have any anti-aging moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid, maybe let your daughter try. I used them because of dry cheeks and my chickenpox scars from 20 years ago look less obvious now. I have used a few brands so I don’t think the brand itself matters much.

Her derm has mentioned something for the scarring, but I can’t remember what it was. We actually have an appt tomorrow, so I will ask.

[crazyforlatin]

25 minutes ago, scbusf said:

Her derm has mentioned something for the scarring, but I can’t remember what it was. We actually have an appt tomorrow, so I will ask.

For Dd we use Faded which has a bunch of ingredients that help with fading the red marks. With Dd I noticed that each mark disappears by about 2 weeks. DD uses a lot of mineral sunscreen to prevent the marks from darkening. Also I just noticed that Versed has a dark spot gel at Target which is cheaper than Faded and in a gel form with similar ingredients for fading marks.

[maize]

Genetics play a big role.

I've always had clear skin, even as a teenager. I ate tons of cheese and other stuff they say to avoid. I just had good genes. 

My husband still gets acne in his forties, and he mostly avoids dairy and other animal products.

So far, of my teens some have my skin and some have his in this respect. It's independent of which of them have my more olive coloring or his pale pink and freckles, which I find interesting. Clearly different factors at play.

 

 

[Ellie]

1 hour ago, J-rap said:

I have two dd's that had severe acne problems, one of them cystic and she need to go on a pretty strict prescription regiment.  The other dd had autoimmune issues, and interestingly, when she went on an anti-inflammatory diet plus over the counter Benzoyl peroxide, it seemed to do the trick!  You can google anti-inflammatory diets.

Anti-inflamatary diets tend to exclude dairy (and that would be cow's milk dairy, not other animal milk such as goats).

[Clemsondana]

I think that diet can help, but it may be specific to the individual. My male teen athlete doesn't eat a ton of sugar/junk, but does eat lots of meat and veggies, needs carbs to get full, and has some form of dairy daily, usually as part of protein smoothies.  Kid occasionally has a mild breakout when wearing a helmet/hat in the heat for too long but otherwise only has the occasional pimple.  Kid uses a salicylic acid wash (we use melaleuca but there are others).  When needed, kid also uses an exfoliating scrubber (Konjac natural sponges are sort of like the old buff puff things from our youth).  We keep on-the-spot salicylic treatment to use as needed, but use it sparingly since it can be very drying.  When I was younger I used Witch Hazel as a toner because it's supposed to be anti-inflammatory, and I've seen it in some products recently, so those might help.

[scbusf]

10 hours ago, HSmomof2 said:

I’d at least schedule a dermatology appointment—here it takes a couple months to get in. Dd went about 6 months ago after trying many OTC and dietary things with limited success. The dermatologist prescribed topical clindamyacin and retin a, and her skin is very clear now. 

Absolutely. In my area, for new patients, getting into a ped derm is about a 3-4 month wait. For existing patients, it's 1-2 months. I got lucky and got a cancellation spot this week for my 14yo who is an existing patient. Otherwise, we would have been waiting until the end of Sept.