<p>Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of natural remedies that are effective against truly persistent acne. Tea tree oil can help some, but you’ve already said that didn’t help. We did find switching S to a tea tree oil shampoo helped some around his hair line. With both kids, we went from the gentlest step by step till we finally got to what worked. D ended up on Retin-a, topical clindamycin, and hormones (BCP). S’s acne was more stubborn, and the Dr. was recommending Accutane, but I wanted to avoid if possible. He finally got relief with a regimen that includes Adapalene (a retinoid) and a salicylic body wash for backne. Both use Cetaphil cleanser and CeraVe moisturizer. The retinoids can work wonders, but you have to figure out the schedule that works for your skin. Use too often, and you dry your skin terribly.</p>
<p>Proactiv was the only thing that worked for me as a teenager, and now as an adult on the occasion that I need it. I tried all sorts of prescriptions and nothing else worked, but I know not everyone has such good luck with it and for some it is too irritating to the skin. </p>
<p>I used it daily as a teenager with no side effects and my skin cleared up in days-- it was a miracle. Now as an adult I just use plain old whatever facewash twice a day and proactive for a couple days once every few months or so if I get a breakout. I outgrew needing to use it daily.</p>
<p>•Drink lots of water
•Change to a healthy diet
•Consistant face routine
•Vitamins </p>
<p>Look into some oils or serums.</p>
<p>Acutane is scary but nothing else worked for my d - now at 21 she has perfect skin all the time although she told me she uses a Burt’s Bees acne wash. When I was 21 my skin was far from perfect - at 51 it isn’t there yet either. However, it is not recommended for teens with mental health issues.</p>
<p>Just be careful if doxycycline is prescribed. My then 13-year-old son took that. He suddenly started suffering HORRIBLE heartburn and stomach pain. I don’t know why, but the doctors didn’t make the connection that it could be the meds. At his low point, my son could take fluids LITERALLY only a drop at a time, from an eye dropper. He lost 20 pounds very quickly. We took him to the doctor more than once. I was really afraid he would starve to death. It was unbelievable. Finally, a specialist asked what meds he was on, and pinpointed the problem. Of course, from now on, I will KNOW to ask about possible side effects from any and all meds!</p>
<p>Then DS started on Acutane. Before we could tell if it worked, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder so he had to stop the meds. At age 18, his face is much clearer.</p>
<p>OP, since you asked about natural remedies, you could consider a probiotic such as Floraster.</p>
<p>Depending on the severity of the problem, you could try reducing or eliminating dairy. That did help my son.</p>
<p>My daughter hasn’t really had any acne, except for the occasional pimple right before her period. My son, however, always has a breakout across his forehead. He uses a generic acne wash (salicylic acid) in the shower, and applies benzoyl peroxide at night. It keeps it in check, but doesn’t eliminate it completely. I told him if this routine stops working, then we’d go to a dermatologist for a topical (not oral) antibiotic.</p>
<p>Another thing that really helps is having a balanced diet including plenty of water. Skin really can reflect what you’re putting into your body. Although there’s no specific food that causes acne, having a diet that is deficient in many nutrients can contribute to it.</p>
<p>If she’s not on the pill, she may want to consider taking one that uses norgestimate as the progestin component. A friend of my daughter’s had remarkable results just by going on the pill, even though she wasn’t sexually active.</p>
<p>Because of the problem with acne and scarring, I’d make an appt with a dermatologist as soon as possible. It would be great if natural or even over-the-counter remedies worked everyone, but they don’t and once acne becomes entrenched, it’ a vicious cycle that creates real problems. You can try a Clarisonic Mia device for cleansing, but low dose antibiotics can work wonders, so she might not even need one of the stronger drugs in the arsenal.</p>
<p>Dermatologist. As you can see from above responses, different things work for different bodies…there is no right answer.<br>
Goskid had moderate acne in HS, which we tried natural remedies and OTC stuff…with moderate success. First semester of college, it exploded to full blown cystic acne. I felt horrible that kid had to endure that. Dermatologist tried a number of things, with
aczone the only one with moderate success, so I relented and agreed to accutane. (BTW, dermatologist would not prescribe until kid was home for summer, so I could monitor). Looking back, was a mistake to not consider/use earlier. Made huge difference in skin, and more importantly, kid’s self confidence…</p>
<p>seal, nysmile is correct. You need to get your child in to see a dermatologist, for a diagnosis at the very least. Different treatments work on different types of acne, and you need to know what you’re dealing with.</p>
<p>Acne is tricky, because as gosmom says, what works great for one person may not work at all for another. Trial and error, unfortunately, is often the only way to figure it out. In my D’s case, she’s tried lots of different things, from Proactiv (no help at all), to several antibiotics, to a number of different topical medications, to birth control. Typically for her, the newest treatment works for a while, but then stops working. It’s frustrating for her.</p>
<p>It’s also tricky because often it’s not just a matter of taking a pill. There may need to be dietary changes, a faithful skin regimen, and even lifestyle changes. And all of that will need to go through the trial-and-error process as well, to find the right combination.</p>
<p>My D is doing pretty well now, with a combination of birth control, a topical antibiotic, and some dietary changes (she’s almost completely eliminated sugar and dairy, and makes sure to get plenty of water). She’s heard good things about the cleanser Cetaphil, so she’s going to try that as well.</p>
<p>One other thing to be aware of is that stress can have a major impact on acne. I noticed that for years with my D, but she just recently realized it. She’s started doing yoga to address that.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Serious acne is generally hormonal in origin. “Natural” or OTC treatments just don’t work for it. Go to a dermatologist.</p>