Need Facial Cleanser Recs for DS13

[MEM]

I need some recommendations for skin care for DS13, please! Almost overnight his perfect skin is erupting. He has huge self-care issues due to his autism so DH and I will have to supervise whatever he uses. DH is no help with suggestions since he has always used whatever was in the soap dish!

I would love to hear from other parents what their sons have used successfully to treat oily skin and pimples. Thanks!!!

 

[barkley]

witch hazel.

get a bottle and he just uses a cotton ball or 'puff' and wipes down his face after normal cleaning.

it's the best natural cleanser-does not have mutch of any odor to speak of and works realy well in both prevention and treatment of blemishes.

 

[karynnix]

A dermatologist would be able to let you know what is safe to use.

I have also heard that witch hazel is great.

 

[KathyRN137]

Hello,

I am the mother of an autistic child; he's only 9yrs, so we're not at the pimple stage yet. However, I am a dermatology nurse and I second the recommendation above to seek treatment by a dermatologist or a nurse practitioner who specializes in dermatology.

Witch Hazel and other astringents are, indeed, generally good for clearing excess oil, but they will not fight or prevent acne. Also, if your son is hyper-sensitive to odors, he may not tolerate the smell.

Gentle skin cleansers are best, you cannot cleanse or scrub acne away. It is due to normal hormone effects on the skin at that age. His doctor/NP will be able to assess the type and severity of his acne and recommend topical medication. Then he or she will help you choose an appropriate over the counter cleanser to go with his prescription medications.

Good luck, I'll be there soon!

Kathy

 

[cissy]

Clinique.

 

[WildGrits]

My girls have been using two products with great results.

First one is the wal-mart version of a disposible exfoliating wet cleansing cloth. They are VERY mild. They remind me of baby wipes. And they are so quick to use.

Secondly, by pure accident, we found that Band-Aid Hurt Free Antiseptic Wash works really good. We keep it right with the Q-Tips. Once a white head or red bumps rears it's ugly head. Apply with a Q-Tip to the spot before bed and in the morning.

We have yet to have one of those buggers last longer than 24 hours since we started. And that's saying a lot cause I have the worst skin in the world. I was a true pizza face growing up. Thanx to my dear dad.

 

[SueM in MN]

I second KathyRN.
There are different types of acne and they respond differently to medication. A dermatologist should also be able to steer you toward treatments that will have the least 'sensory' problems for your child.

One highly advertized treatment that I highly recommend against is ProActive. They make it sound like a wonder treatment that works against any type of acne. The active ingredient is Benzoyl Peroxide, which is a good treatment for some types of acne, but not others.
My oldest DD used it for her mild acne because of all the 'success story' advertizements for it. Even though she used it exactly as directed, it discolored (bleached) a lot of her clothing around the neck, bleached towels and made her mild acne quite bad. She ended up with itchy, blotchy skin with red welts and an allergy to Benzoyl Peroxide.

 

[Camster0307]

My 13 yr.old daughter used a product with Benzoyl Peroxide and she got a HORRIBLE facial burn - just a small amount. It was Awful!

We've had great success washing her face with Neutrogena Deep Clean facial cleanser and applying erythromycin pads 2x/day. I think the pads are doing the trick because when she goes to my ex's for the weekends, he "forgets" to use them and she comes back with some breakouts!