<p>How do you deal with your child acne? We use tea tree wash, but it does not help much.</p>
<p>Not sure if you have a boy or a girl and how old they are, but here are a few threads that might be helpful:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1486089-facial-cleanser-teenage-boy.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1486089-facial-cleanser-teenage-boy.html</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1238419-who-knows-about-accutane-acne-treatment-8.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1238419-who-knows-about-accutane-acne-treatment-8.html</a></p>
<p>Panoxyl face wash really helps in cases of serious acne. It was recommended by our dermatologist and CVS sells it. Skin changes slowly - it will take a couple of weeks to see a real difference.</p>
<p><a href=“Shop Beauty, Vitamins, Medicine & Everyday Essentials | CVS Pharmacy”>Shop Beauty, Vitamins, Medicine & Everyday Essentials | CVS Pharmacy;
<p>Don’t buy the generic imitators - we tried that once and they are not the same.</p>
<p>I have a girl.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Try differin gel you can buy the .1% version on amazon and it works well</p>
<p>S1 went to dermatologist Dr L for over a year with no results. Guy would just yell at him for not using his washes and creams daily. Switched to Dr E and his first reaction was to put S1 on antibiotic, as he said it would not clear up without it. Less than a month into the antibiotics, we saw a real difference. Also, Dr Es staff did ‘acne surgery’ aka a facial every month for 3-4 months and that cleared things up. It has cleared up nicely in the past year.</p>
<p>Some of my older D’s female friends swear by Proactiv. It either helps or doesn’t, but the results are good for those it does. The trick is apparently to continue to use it regularly.</p>
<p>In general, what helps any one kid depends on what the root cause is, for her. So, some experimentation is sometimes needed.</p>
<p>Proactive worked great for S2. He didn’t care for the 3 step process and his face cleared up beautifully just by using the wash with the tiny pieces of grit. I have tried it and my pores disappear after only 2 uses. (not sure but I think they call it facial cleanse) They also have an item that you dot on your trouble spots, but S2 reacted to the salicylate acid in the product. We buy it at a mall kiosk where we can get just one item.</p>
<p>Antiobiotics worked well for my kids.
Proactive didn’t, and the various creams, washes etc from the doctor may or may not have.
We avoided Accutane for a number of reasons.</p>
<p>Accurane is for cystic acne, not usually the run-of-the-mill teen acne. S1 had cystic, and we tried every potion, pill and scrub to no avail. Accurate was a miracle.</p>
<p>D and S2 manage with good hygiene routines, using products with Benzoyl Peroxide, and Differin gel. The fact that they are in the pool everyday helps as well.</p>
<p>Retin-A cream did the trick for S1, but he had to ease into it. But now he has to remember sunscreen if he’s going to be in direct sun very long. I noticed the same thing as shellz - when S1 was in the pool daily, skin looked great.</p>
<p>My daughter used Differin, then she noticed her skin improved when she started taking oral contraceptives.</p>
<p>I know it’s an easy solution and relatively cheap, but you really shouldn’t go for the antibiotic route for something as mild as acne. Antibiotics are not meant for long term usage. For them to eliminate acne, they need to be taken for months. Antibiotics have a lot of bad effects on the body which isn’t much of a better option than accutane. I am suffering the effects now from taking antibiotics for several months.</p>
<p>Everyone will give you different advice on what worked for them but solutions to acne are VERY individualistic. For my D, who had severe acne from age 11 but not cystic acne, we tried EVERYTHING over the course of a 3 year period under the care of her dermatologist - various antibiotics, differin, other topical treatments, you name it - nothing worked. She even tried Proactive because so many people swore it worked for them. It made her skin worse and her dermatologist got a little PO’ed when he found out. Finally, her dermatologist put her on Accutane. Worked wonderfully and she experienced no side effects other than extremely dry skin when on it. My biggest regret is not getting her on it earlier to save some scarring. </p>
<p>A big misconception is that acne is hygiene related. For those with severe acne, this isn’t the case. Too much washing can be just as bad if not worse than not enough washing. Severe acne is caused by the sufferer’s body’s reaction, usually triggered internally not on the external surface of the skin. </p>
<p>How severe is your child’s acne? My advice- find a good dermatologist but you need to find one who is not too overly cautious. I think my daughter’s was. I can definitely see trying different alternatives before bringing out the Accutane but I think her dermatologist waited too long at over 3 years of trying various options.</p>
<p>When I was a teen oral contraceptives helped tremendously. i don’t know if they are still used for acne.</p>
<p>A close family member developed cystic acne rather abruptly when she turned 14. </p>
<p>First she tried different over the counter face washes, a fortune in Neutrogena stuff and the power brushes. </p>
<p>Then she went to a dermatologist who prescribed Differin topical cream, and prescription salacylic acid face wash. Wash face gently with fingers, otherwise do not touch, and use non-comedogenic moisturizer, avoid make-up. While this helps almost all kids, acne progressed.</p>
<p>Stronger prescription creams no help. Doxycline and Bactrim antibiotics no help (and got low white count from Bactrim). Treatment for yeast no help. </p>
<p>Dairy free diet no help.</p>
<p>Accutane helped some, but completed the 6 month maximum treatment and cystic acne returned. It was also very time-intensive to have monthly apointments, blood tests, website log-ins, timetables with the Accutane (for a girl). Very highly regulated due to severe birth defects. </p>
<p>Got an endocrine evaluation on advice of the dermatologist and found abnormal hormone levels associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). About 15% of adolescent females get this, and now treatment is aimed at correcting the hormones, which seems to be helping the acne more than anything else did. Treatment includes oral contraceptives, aldactone (for high testosterone) and metformin (for insulin resistance associated with PCOS). So far so good, with no medication problems.</p>
<p>So, if the acne is not responding, don’t blame your kid.</p>
<p>BC for D was an intermediate step which doc insisted on, prior to advancing to accutane. She never needed to progress to accutane as the BC Pills not only regulated her crazy cycle, it helped clear her non cystic acne quite nicely. I had forgotten when we put her on the pill until now, partly due to the fact that we didn’t refer to it as BC. We called it her antibiotics…she was young enough that the stigma some of her friends went through when it was discovered they were on " the pill", was horrible. The judgement by other kids’ parents was shocking.</p>
<p>Not sure of the severity in your case, OP. </p>
<p>I had these breakout spots in which me and my mom tried all these “fancy” washes and scrubs for. They just caused more breakouts. Now, I just use the most basic face wash ever for sensitive skin and oil-free moisturizer. Face is like a baby’s and is free if any blemish or dark spot.</p>
<p>I do suggest checking her hormone levels.</p>
<p>The first step is to make an appointment with a dermatologist. He/she will advise and go from there.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone. Any natural remedies?</p>