Pre-teen Skin Care

You might look into the Mary Kay Velocity skin care for teens. It's made just for tweens and teens and prevents breakouts as well as being a LOT cheaper them Pro Active($10-12). There is also an acne treatment gel (only $7) that zaps the blemishes that you do get. Visit my website www.marykay.com/cheer4osu for more information.

Yes Pro active worked for my teen and another thing that worked is using the liquid vitamin Vemma topically, did wonders for the skin using topically and of course drinking 2 oz daily. Check it out at www.vemmashane.vemma.com

My daughter just turned 11 and is starting to have the same issue with her forehead. I have been using Proactive myself for several years, so when the less robust facial cleansers didn't work I had her try it. That doesn't appear to be working either, but I'm hoping it's more that she just doesn't use it as she's supposed to, and once school starts and she's with all her friends she'll be more into using it.

hello
as an adult , I used proactive and I did like it. However, I didn't have major acne problems, just pimples here and there.
I have sensitive skin and can be prone to drying out so I didn't want a product like clearisil for example that would do this. Also, when I was younger, I took zinc (vitamins) someone once told me it helped with acne and sure enough, it helped me. Lastly, lots and lots of water....... the more you drink , I think he better one's skin gets.

i would NOT recommend proactive to a ten year old. it can have nasty side effects which would be much more devastating to her than some zits on the forehead. plus, it's marketed to those with severe acne - she's just a little girl with zits. i would recommend increasing her water intake, and certain supplements like zinc (don't take on an empty stomach!) and lysine, and maybe some vit E might be enough to turn it around. obviously what she eats may be affecting her skin as well.

good luck!

Ulta carries a preteen teen line called FRESH START by dermological it is amazing....and not overly expensive :)

Clean and Clear acne wash and also their oil free moisturizer has done wonders in a week for one of my children. She does it in the morning when she wakes up and then after her nightly shower. She has been drinking 2-3 bottle of water per day and taking fish oil gummies.

I don't know if Pro Active is safe but I do know that I use safe products. If you are interested it them I can tell you about them. S.

Hi Mama-
I used proactive, and while it has worked for alot of people, my skin was SO DRY that it dried up the acne, but then I had all these hard bumps on my skin.
My suggestion is (even for oily skin) is to use a moisturizing skin care routine. Why? Because the skin is producing oil when it thinks it is dry. That's why alot of those oil free washes where your skin feels super tight when you wash, cause your skin to produce a heck of a lot of oil- because your body is trying to moisturize your skin. A dewy glow is healthy skin. For her, I would say now is the time to invest in proper skin care. Try Avon or Mary Kay- I choose avon because they have great sales and I can afford them when on sale. Or, try going to the natural foods store and look at their skin care. Some oils for skin are made for African Americans and work really well. The other thing is to make sure her face is clean and that she doesn't touch it alot. Have her keep some equate (walmart brand) face wipeys in her bag, and whenever she gets really sweaty or overly oily, give herself a quick "wash." The more she cares for her skin now, the more she will thank herself later.
Hope this helps!
-E.

Be sure your friend's daughter is washing her face with some type of facial cleanser, not plain old bar soap, morning and evening, if not Mom needs to be sure she starts doing this. Cetaphil facial cleaner ,(it's liquid and comes in a big plastic bottle with a pump dispenser ) is very good, as is a facial bar soap called Basis, both are mild and not loaded with lot of chemicals since she is younger. If the girl starts washing twice daily w/a good facial cleanser 2 x's a day and it doesn't clear up in a couple of weeks then I would switch her to stronger anti-acne cleanser. If this is her 1st child your Mom friend will find out it is hard to get tweens into the habit of washing their face morning and evening, but it really helps and needs to be taught early. I think there are other options out there to try b4 you go to Pro-Active at your local drug store, Walmart.or Target in the cosmetic, face soap aisle. If the regular washing doesn't help I would have her try one of the acne kits like Clean and Clear or Neutrogena several other co's have them too. They are about $20 for the kit, but check Sunday paper for coupons since they can be found often for $2-$4 off ; the kit lasts just over a month or so. If she does go the Pro-Active route warned her to have her daughter sse only old or white towels to dry her hands and face after washing, it contains some type of bleaching agent . Two friend's teens got it an d used it for the 1st time and it ruined a nice set of bath towels and even some pillow cases after washing with it and applying the topical ointment in their kits, Ask Mom friend if her daughter uses any type of conditioning products for her hair too. Sometimes when they get on their forehead they can cause breakouts due to oils some contain. Hope my ideas help, as a parent of a young teenage daughter, we've been there.

One of the very best, natural things to use is good old fashioned with hazel. It's very inexpensive and can be purchased at any drug store.
It's not harsh, doesn't sting or burn and won't over dry the skin which can actually lead to more breakouts.
It's an excellent astringent. Just put some on a cotton ball and gently wipe the affected areas.
It's good for all skin types.

Best wishes!

In order to treat acne, you have to understand what kind it is. Most people have acne vulgaris, occasional pimples that result from oil/dirt/bacteria getting trapped in the pores and creating a minor infection.

Most of those break-outs are easily treated with good face washings and topical products - benzoil peroxide and salicylic acid are most common in OTC products.

Mine, which I still have as a 30-something adult is cystic. It's deep, painful and unable to be controlled with OTC products. I have to see a dermatologist and be treated with Rx products to keep it under control (antibiotics, topical antibiotics, etc).

If they're willing, I'd have them take her to a dermatologist at least once to see what they recommend. In my experiences, they're quick to recommend over the counter products that most of us are unaware of vs. Rx medications.

HI Renee,

I would look for something natural for a kid that age. Proactiv is basically a salicylic acid product while good in drying up the acne, it can dry the skin as well. Maybe a once a week routine with something like that. When my girls where that age they used a french milled glycerin bar with high grade tea tree oil called the Gold Bar and it kept the pimples away and did wonders for the skin. I still use it once a day on my face.

M.

My 10 year old daughter has the same thing. We have started with Neutrogena make up remover cloths. Easy to use, cleans but leaves her skin moist. I noticed a difference in two days. I also have the Neutrogena salicylic acid pads for especially large break outs. One swipe and done. I have tried them myself (I have VERY sensitive skin) and they seem quite harsh, but dry anything up quickly. My only advice is start out as simple as possible. Too big of a routine can bog down young kids.

I don't have the answer-just the same problem with my "mixed' 12yr old grandaughter. I was searching for a answer when I found this. Hope we find a answer,