Teenage spots
 

my not so little man has developed teenage spots, yes i know its part of growing up (although i never grew up so i never got them) but can anyone recommend any good spot treatments for them?

he has cleanser and witch hazel, i've even tried TCP (evil me) and nothing seems to work

Re: Teenage spots
 

I always thought typical teenage spot's where outside an off-licence asking for someone to buy their fags or in the Park at night time drinking White Lightening.

:D

(Only kidding I know you teens aren't all like that, some of you have parent's that are too mean with the old spending money!).

Re: Teenage spots
 

nitric acid shifts em.:D

Re: Teenage spots
 

You must have a very good memory if you can remember teenage spots :p

Re: Teenage spots
 

Yes, he can, all he has to do is look in the mirror every morning and view that attractive leathery complexion the treatment left him with.
http://www.tiptopglobe.com/skin/smile/s11336.gif

Re: Teenage spots
 

Is that what carbolic soap does to you? :D

Re: Teenage spots
 

Treat them from within, change the diet.

Do not whatever you do, use the OXY10 stuff, it leaves you scarred.

Re: Teenage spots
 

So does bad parenting!
:p

Re: Teenage spots
 

Diet is a big part of it and all these skin cleansers are OK but after a while the skin rebels and ends up over-producing sebum to compensate. Don't forget that hormones are different for everyone but if he's in his teens then the 'female interest gland' will be firmly switched on by now and there's very little to be done about that.

The only thing I found that helped me was going for a sunshower once a week. I don't mean getting a perma tan, but three minutes per week on a shower (NOT a bed as you end up lying in your own sweat) just dries the skin enough to compensate for the trials of growing up. It's not a very PC thing to suggest nowadays but I'm still suffering with terrible skin even now and it's the only thing that helped really.

I also spend a fair bit of time working outside and the fresh air and sunshine (in Summer, naturally) does wonders for your skin. Also, advise him only to shave when he's due to go on a night out or something as over-shaving (as I did) leaves terrible scarring. Never electric shave either, wet shaving is the way.

Hope that helps!

Re: Teenage spots
 

isn't tea tree meant to be good for them?

I was lucky and never really suffered from them.

Re: Teenage spots
 

Good grief, no. You're quite right in saying that it's a suggested remedy but I found that it inflamed all the ones I aready had and brought out a load more in response. I know I'm not the only one to have suffered because when it first became widely available tea tree oil was peddled as the cure for all ills.

Re: Teenage spots
 

he uses an electric razor at the moment but only on his top lip, where he has no spots, he doesn't need to use it anywhere else, i didn't want him shaving with a razor until he really needed to, as for the tea tree YES Ian, it does work, as Ken said though it makes the spots very red THEN dries them up, the TCP seems to be working for him at the moment, he puts it on every couple of days

Re: Teenage spots
 

Different things work for different folks but the one thing all men seem to agree on is the long-term benefits of a wet shave. You need a decent razor (Gillette Mach 3 is superb) and good shave gel (again, for poor skin a brand name is best).

Don't be taken in with all these 'turbo' blades that need batteries - complete waste of time. My wife found the same with the Venus women's blades.

Re: Teenage spots
 

I don't like the foaming gels. It like having whipped cream on your face and trying to shave (save the whipped cream for other things).

I use the non foaming ones. Much better and you can see where your shaving.

Re: Teenage spots
 

I can also recommend Palmolive Shaving Cream although it's not sold everywhere. Rays Cutprice Store in Rishton does it and it gives an extremely close shave.

Re: Teenage spots
 

Sudocrem is a good antiseptic healing cream for sunburn, eczema, acne, etc.

Re: Teenage spots
 

Always preferred Drapolene, or as it is called in my house - Bum Cream.
Sudocrem is really thick and you need a spatula to spread it in :D

Re: Teenage spots
 

I've found tea tree oil is good or try the Neutrogena spot control is good.

Re: Teenage spots
 

the best thing we've found is NO chocolate

Re: Teenage spots
 

surely if chocolate was the cause of spots only recently dumped women would have acne ?

Re: Teenage spots
 

My tips, after years of terrible teenage acne. (I had it much longer than most of my friends. Chances are he won't be that bad)

Never pick the spots. It'll lead to scarring.

Go to the doctors, there are tretments available now that can help.

Keep skin scrupulously clean, but use a mild soap, like Gentle/Pure. Personally I think if you strip skins prone to spots, if you make it 'squeeky clean', your body produces more sebaceous oil, to replace what's been taken off.

Tell Reece it does get better. Mine was really bad aged 15, but by the time I went to college it was completely clear.

Also tell him that he's blessed. Skin prone to spots ages better, and by the time he's old, he'll be thankful he's got good, unlined skin.

;):D

Re: Teenage spots
 

...oh and I wouldn'y use strong antiseptics, like TCP.

A cotton bud, soaked with Tea Tree oil, used to gently dab individual spots, will heal more quickly, and won't inflame the skin.

Re: Teenage spots
 

Another things I remembered that helped me was sunshine. Vitamin D aids a healthy skin. Getting plenty of natural sunlight will help. Plus, if your skin has a healthy glow, not sun burned, spots and blemishes aren't as apparent, as they more camouflaged.

After regular cleansing with a mild soap, I found moisturising with vitamin E cream helped. Applying a moisturiser seemed to slow down the skin's natural reponse to replace the oils removed, plus vitamin E cream helps natural healing of the skin, and prevents scarring.

I won't give you the diet one herbalist/dermatologist gave me, only eating boiled lettuce, and drinking the water for a month, as though it did help a little, I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

:eek::D

Re: Teenage spots
 

lol cheers hunni, i'll let him read it all when he gets home x