Acne Steps to a Clearer Complexion

Steps to a Clearer Complexion

So you thought acne only struck during the teenage years? Not so, says Sidney Hurwitz, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. ''It's not uncommon for children as young as nine to begin to show signs of acne,'' he says.

Although most kids outgrow acne by the time they reach their early twenties, self-conscious youngsters can worry a lot about their skin condition. For this reason alone, even a mild case of acne should get some helpful attention from parents, says Dr. Hurwitz.

Experts agree there's not much you can do to prevent acne from occurring in the first place, but there's plenty you can do to help control flare-ups. Fortunately, the ingredient benzoyl peroxide, found in many anti-acne medications, is effective. And some of these medications can be purchased without a prescription. So the first thing to do if you're going to treat the acne at home is:

Head for the drugstore. Look for lotions or gels containing benzoyl peroxide in any drugstore, suggests Dr. Hurwitz. Gels are the most effective at delivering the medicine where it's needed--just below the surface, he says. There are also soaps containing benzoyl peroxide on the market, but they are not as effective as gels or lotions.

Before your child uses the medication, however, make sure she isn't allergic to that product. ''Take a tiny amount and rub it on the inside of your child's forearm,'' says Dr. Hurwitz. ''Then wait a day to make sure no redness or irritation appears.'' If it does, you'll need to consult your child's doctor for another remedy.

Once your child starts using the medication, make sure she applies the medicine to the whole face (and chest and back, if those areas are also breaking out). Benzoyl peroxide not only helps heal existing pimples, it helps keep new pimples from forming. So your child should apply medication even if the skin appears clear. ''Usually once a day is adequate, but for a more severe case, your child can try it twice a day,'' says Dr. Hurwitz. ''In fact, this should become a daily habit, like brushing your teeth to prevent cavities.''

Wait for bedtime. An unfortunate ''side effect'' of benzoyl medication is that it can bleach material it comes in contact with. To limit the potential damage, make sure your child uses only a tiny amount and rubs it in gently. Ask your child to take care not to spill or drip medication onto towels, bedding, carpeting or upholstered furniture while applying it. Applying the medication only at bedtime can also help avoid ruining school clothes, advises Dr. Hurwitz. If your child does apply the medication in the morning, it's best to either apply a thin coating after getting dressed or apply the medication and wait for it to dry thoroughly before getting dressed.

Start with a low dosage. You'll find that over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide products come in concentrations of 2.5 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent. The lower the concentration, the less irritating to the skin it is likely to be, says Dr. Hurwitz, so start with the 2.5 percent product. If the lowest dosage doesn't work, you can then try a stronger one.

Be patient. Acne medications (even prescription ones) take from six to eight weeks or more to bring real improvement in your child's complexion, says Dr. Hurwitz. Of course, if the opposite occurs and your child's skin becomes worse, stop using the medication and consult your child's doctor.

Don't put pressure on pimples. Pressure aggravates existing outbreaks, says Alfred Lane, M.D., associate professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine in California. Be sure to let your child know this--and point out some ways to avoid putting pressure on these areas. Wearing a sweatband or a beloved old baseball cap or just resting the chin in the hands while gazing at the blackboard can make pimples worse.

Steer around the fast food. While the burger, fries, chocolate shake and apple turnover themselves don't cause acne, these foods may have a high iodine content because of the way they're processed. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the average iodine content of a burger and milk-shake alone may exceed the recommended daily intake by more than 50 percent. And high iodine may make breakouts worse, says dermatologist Harvey Arbesman, M.D., of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. So if your youngster is a fast-food freak, you might suggest that he slow down on the burgers and fries and maybe try a trip to the salad bar instead.

Screen skin care products. You want to make sure that any soaps, sunscreens, moisturizers or makeup you buy for your child won't irritate the skin or make the acne worse, says Dr. Hurwitz. Some products will specifically state that they are nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic--which means that they don't promote acne. Others, however, won't specifically say so.

Good choices include Dove or Neutrogena soap; PreSun, Photoplex or Neutrogena Sunblock sunscreen; and Purpose, Neutrogena Moisture or Moisturel moisturizers. Any brand of makeup is okay, says Dr. Hurwitz, as long as it is nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic. When in doubt, check with your child's dermatologist.

Be gentle. Don't pick or squeeze pimples, says Dr. Hurwitz, and avoid hard scrubbing. Acne is not the result of poor hygiene, he says, so gentle cleansing is all that's needed. Remember, too much pressure on pimples just makes the problem worse.

Let your child have the shaggy look. If your child wants to wear her bangs long to cover up blemishes, you may as well let her have her way, says Dr. Lane. ''Bangs, even naturally greasy ones, do not cause pimples to break out,'' he explains. ''That's because it's not oils from outside that cause acne, it's the oils under the skin that cause it.'' And your child will feel a lot better if she can hide the blemishes.

You should not let your child use greasy pomades such as Dax Pomade or Ultra Sheen on hair that will touch the face. These products contain man-made oils such as petroleum jelly that can block oil glands and make acne worse, Dr. Lane says. Gel and mousse, however, are okay.

Reduce those stress levels. Yes, even preteens can be stressed out these days, and there's no question that stress can cause acne flare-ups, says Dr. Lane. ''Stress raises the levels of the hormone testosterone,'' he says, ''which in turn increases the activity of the oil glands.'' Take a look at your child's lifestyle: Is he or she struggling in school? Having problems with friends? Involved in too many after-school activities? You may want to cut back on activities and encourage your child to talk out problems. You can also teach your child relaxation techniques such as deep-breathing exercises.