By: Laura Hunnewell
My daughter is 13 and struggles with occasional breakouts. She has a habit of scratching and picking at her acne which leads to redness and irritation. While it might be hard to get kids in this age group to follow a skin care regimen, it is important to remember how frustrating it must feel for them as they are experiencing hormonal changes which can lead to embarrassing hormonal acne breakouts. I have been working with her to keep it clean and simple, and this routine seems to help control the flare ups.
She dances regularly which makes her sweat and, like many kids in this age group, is away from home doing activities well into the evening hours. I put some unscented baby wipes in her bag for her to clean the sweat and dirt off until she gets home and has a chance to shower.
While there are some great acne treatment cleansers available, be careful as some of them can be harsh and irritate the inflamed skin. Using the Clarisonic with Dove unscented bar soap is helpful as it provides a thorough cleansing without stripping the skin of moisture. When the skin looks red or she has been scratching or picking at the acne, I have great success combining 2 great skin care products from SkinCeuticals to heal, hydrate and soothe:
- Phyto Corrective Gel is green in color and brings anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties to calm the skin.
- Daily Moisture is a lightweight but effective moisturizer which helps to maintain hydration levels without oil.
I mix a few drops of the green gel into the moisturizer and have her apply this morning and evening. The results? An even smooth complexion with a significant reduction in redness.
Regular visits to Derick Dermatology are recommended to make sure the acne isn’t getting worse. Your doctor can recommend treatment plans and topical medications for skin that isn’t improving with home care.