my teenage son's acne

[tina1213]

My son is 14 and has experienced moderate to severe acne for the last year. He has tried Proactive, Murad and some over the counter acne treatments and his face still is broken out. Any suggestions on what he can use to cure this problem? He's very self-conscious about it and would like his face to be acne-free.

[stanb]

Your best bet would be to make an appointment with a dermatologist who can evaluate your son’s condition and prescribe an appropriate medication.

Usually, the first course of action involves the use of prescription topical medications. There are a few alternatives available. Topical antibiotics, such as Benzamycin or Benzaclin, try and kill the skin bacteria that contribute to acne. There are also topical vitamin A derivatives, such as Differin. These work by increasing skin cell turnover which help keep pores unplugged.

If your son’s acne is unresponsive to topical treatments, you will probably want to look into oral antibiotics.

All of the above mentioned treatments are far more effective than what your son has previously taken.

[ferdy]

Give your son cod liver oil.One tablespoon at bedtime.Be patient it will take a few weeks.

[elitekid]

Hey I've had acne since I was 14 and I'm now 19. I've tried all products and medications and none of them have cleared my acne up completely. My acne is slowly fading with time and I'm sure your sons will too. The best thing to do is get your son to a dermatologist to get some peace of mind! I found that once I started shaving and my hormones calmed down (i.e I wasn't such a horny teenager) my acne slowly faded.

Please don't fall for all these lotions advertized on the television - all they want is your money and they don't care about your son's skin (my dermatologist told me that all these special lotions are just as good as normal soap.) The best idea is to visit a doctor and they'll recommend you to a dermatologist or prescribe your son with anti biotics which should reduce acne flare ups and in some cases clear up acne. The only lotion I'd recommend trying are lotions that contain "Benzoyl peroxide" which you can get from your local pharmacy.

Good luck with your son and tell him not to worry, I've still managed to get girls and do all the typical teenage stuff.

[tina1213]

Thanks for all of your input. I will set up an appt for my son with a dermatologist and we'll take it from there.

Elitekid, you are too funny. I'll be sure to pass the word along to my son, who has had a girlfriend for the last 3 months. The one message I've been trying to get across to him is that what's inside is what matters, not how his face looks. He's rejected my suggestions to going to a dermatologist before but now that he's experienced it for a year, he's over it.

Thanks again everyone.