Acne. The four letter word.

[Autumn Rose]

Le sigh.   My son, 10 is going through the "pimple" phase.    Early puberty?   Bad genes?

Whatever the cause...what is the best solution to minimize the mini volcanos that erupt on their face?

His pre pubescent love life depends on you!   Lol

Thank you!

[HoneyBee42]

Any of the over the counter stuff (spot treatment, facial soap) should work.  However, if it's really bad, a dermatologist (I was on antibiotics for acne and ended up stepping up all the way to Accutane--totally worth it to not look like I had pepperoni pizza for a face).

[MrsJWine]

Don't over-cleanse! That can irritate skin and make it worse. I would start gentle and work your way up. Or go to a dermatologist.

I don't know how it will work on a 10-year-old's skin, but I LOVE the oil cleansing method (Google it). I've been using it for five years now, and the only time my skin has flared up since was during first trimester of pregnancy and for a while last year after I took some medication. Up until then, I'd had constant breakouts since I was a preteen. I know it sounds very weird, but it works really well for some people. I use it with almond oil instead of olive oil, but olive oil works well, too.

[Judah]

I use the oil cleansing method and it works great except for the hormonal acne.  But nothing worked for my kids, so I took them to the dermatologist for prescriptions.  Each were given different prescriptions, but both have clear skin now.

[dustyninja]

I use Neutrogena bar soap. For me it keeps the outbreaks at bay.

[WillyNilly]

Adult acne is totally different from teen (and I guess tween) acne so I'm going back to my youth here: Stridex and/or Clearasil. While its not what I would recommend for someone in their 30's (for me, I'm loving Dr Jart+ Black Label Detox Cleansing cream, used with a complexion brush from Sephora), but as a teen those two products were my go to.

And while I know its not what you are 'supposed' to do, but I learned how to properly pop zits, and for me that was (and if I get one these days, still is) always part of the routine - I was/am grossed out by the idea of the puss being inside my skin. I need to physically remove it. I use an extractor, like this http://www.sephora.com/complexion-extractor-with-lance-P0013?skuId=1408418. There are tons of (gross) youtube videos on using one.

[Danika]

Poor kiddo. My pimple phase started at age 13. I was told then "Oh, it'll stop when you're about 18." It stopped when I was 30!!!

I tried everything. Over the counter Stridex, Oxy, etc. Not eating chocolate. Not eating oily foods. Retin-A. Nothing worked.

The only things that worked for me were:

1) Washing my face with a really really hot washcloth to open the pores and get dirt out. Then, quickly splashing my face with cold water (not using the used dirty hot wash cloth, again) to close the pores.

2) Not touching my face with my hands. So no resting my chin my palms in class, for example.

3) Finding a good dermatologist. He prescribed something called Sulfacet-R. That stuff was worth it's weight in gold and saved me from having permanently super pock-marked skin.

4) Changing my pillow-case often at night. Oily hair or conditioners are obviously not good for avoiding acne.

[Outdoor Girl]

Poor kiddo. My pimple phase started at age 13. I was told then "Oh, it'll stop when you're about 18." It stopped when I was 30!!!

Mine slowed but never stopped and they are starting to up the ante again now that I'm approaching menopause.  I was never 'pizza face' but I usually had at least one zit every day as a teen.  As one healed, another started.

I've never tried it but I do know a couple of people for whom ProActive worked really well.  My nephews use Clearsil wash and they both have prescriptions from a dermatologist for something.

[Jones]

Change of diet can help too. My mom had to cut chocolate. I had dairy breakouts.

[rashea]

A facial mask of french clay used to work great for mine. I know it's not a boy thing to do, but it might be worth considering. But don't try to do it just for a special event. In fact, don't try anything as just a one time treatment for a special event.

[CLE_Girl]

I didn't have "acne" as a teen (thank Deity!).  I did get zits, the massive painful ones, just one at a time.  For a general face wash I used Clean and Clear (I think my brother used Stridex), we both had astringent for post sports/work outs, and when I did get a zit I spot treated it with Clean and Clear Persa-gel 10, it's a 10% Benzoyl Peroxide cream that is just about the strongest non-rx stuff out there.

I've heard excellent things about ProActive (both Nutrogena and Clean and Clear have similar programs).

[cutejellybeen]

I was really lucky as a teen that I had mostly clear skin - I think it was from all the pool time I had as a swimmer. WhenI did use something I would use oxy - mostly when I noticed a pimple starting - but It got to be too harsh for my skin. when I was 18 I started using Cetaphil - its a really mild cleanser that still works for me today - doesnt dry my skin out, but keeps it clear. I still have a few persistent blackheads though...

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

Lye soap, with rosemary?

A former coworker's sons had the worst time with acne, and no OTC remedy, dermatologist, or prescription seemed to help. Then serendipity happened! Just for the experience of having done it, he made lye soap with the fat renderings from a hog he'd raised, and added rosemary to part of the batch. He said the boys' faces cleared within a week, and they begged him to make more .

[Kaora]

I agree with another poster-- if it gets too bad, use a clay mask. If I just get a single, painful one, I use Seabreeze.  Plus, it smells nice!

I've had acne since... when?  Sometime in Middle School.  I've never noticed a change in my acne.  Is there a difference?

[jmarvellous]

I have done everything short of Accutane for my skin (and only passed on that because I was afraid of the side  effects, not because doctors didn't say I needed it). Antibiotics work for some, but not for me. Stridex, Oxy, Clearasil, Proactiv, Clean & Clear, Cetaphil, Burt's Bees, Mario Badescu, DDF, Peter Thomas Roth, Philosophy, Kiehl's, St. Ives Apricot Scrub, egg whites, toner, moisturizer, toothpaste, oatmeal, oil, and some I'm probably forgetting. Birth control (moot for boys).
Lots of things work for a while, but nothing is guaranteed.

I have had significant success lately (18 years of acne, so I'm not 100% convinced) with the Clarisonic (expensive but very durable) brush cycle once a day with a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil or Neutrogena acne wash) and either a scrub, a gentle wash or Clean & Clear wash (benzoyl peroxide instead of salicylic acid -- the main ingredient in stuff mostly marketed to teens) and Kiehl's unscented, gentle moisturizer (mainly marketed to men -- a tiny dot is enough for the whole face) with a salicylic acid spot treatment (Oxy or DDF).