Teen Son's Acne and No need for Dermatologist?

[xipetotec]

SO last night, my 17 year old son comes to see us and says he wants to see a dermatologist for his "acne".

Now let me just say that he doesn't have hundreds of pimples or severe acne. He has a few pimples here and there. Like we all did at that age. He claims his girlfriend went to a dermatologist for some pimples on her arm and those have now cleared up.

I told him he's welcome to go see a GP to get a reference BUT that really, his acne is REALLY not something that requires a specialist! He says he "hates embarassing pimples"... to which we responded "We understand that, but so does every teenager who has pimples in the universe" ....

Am I being insensitive here? Or should I really be all on board for him seeing a dermatologist?

 

[laceemouse]

Dh and I both suffered with severe acne. Even though we both saw the dermatologist for years and years I still have scars from mine.
Our three teens all see the dermatologist now, they all take different meds and use different products prescribed to them. They all have different severity.
On our insurance it is a $35 co-pay to see a specialist. If that is what you are looking at, I say do it to make him happy. If it will cost you a lot or be a huge hassle, and his acne is minor, just try different over-the-counter remedies. Just promise him that if it gets worse you will take him to the dermatologist. There are a lot more meds out there now to help then when I was a teen.

 

[kellyg403]

Honestly, yes I would take him and let the Dermatologist explain to him exactly what you are thinking. Self esteem for a teen is all rolled up in things like this. So, just to make him happier with himself, then yes I would take him.

Ultimately, in the end, I would definitely be making sure that he is doing all he possibly can without medical intervention. Is he taking responsibility for keeping his skin clean, otc meds to try and get a handle on those few pimples? If he is, then an appt won't hurt. If he isn't, I would mention that until we try ourselves to be responsible, even a pill or cream won't clear it up totally!

This is kind of one of those situations where you have to decide which avenue to take because only you know your son. Only you know if this is something he really needs to do or if it will be o.k. to try at home therapies first.

Kelly

 

[xipetotec]

Honestly, yes I would take him and let the Dermatologist explain to him exactly what you are thinking. Self esteem for a teen is all rolled up in things like this. So, just to make him happier with himself, then yes I would take him.

Ultimately, in the end, I would definitely be making sure that he is doing all he possibly can without medical intervention. Is he taking responsibility for keeping his skin clean, otc meds to try and get a handle on those few pimples? If he is, then an appt won't hurt. If he isn't, I would mention that until we try ourselves to be responsible, even a pill or cream won't clear it up totally!

This is kind of one of those situations where you have to decide which avenue to take because only you know your son. Only you know if this is something he really needs to do or if it will be o.k. to try at home therapies first.

Kelly

Well to be honest, I personally believe he OVER-treats his skin. Over the last few years, he's used such a myriad of products and face washes that, TO ME, it seems like its made his skin dry and rough. He will have none of it though and insists that without these, he gets outbreaks. So yeah maybe at the very least a dermatologist can explain THAT to him professionally...

 

[sk!mom]

Take the poor kid to the doctor. There really is no reason for any kid to have skin issues these days. There are so many medicines to try. The breakouts may seem minor to you but if they bother him - they're major. Especially when it is a condition so easily treated.

My DD started having minor break outs at 12. We first tried some over the counter products but while they worked somewhat, her skin wasn't clear. Her pediatrician prescribed Benzaclin. DD uses it once a day and her skin is completely clear.

We tried Differin but it was too strong for DD and made her face peel.

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Well there is a difference between acne and simple pimples. However if it bothers him, why not help? If you have a headache do you take aspirin? Why not find out if there is a simple fix lilke that? If there is a means to help the kids, and it dosen't put you in dire financial strain, why not help?

FWIW, I have a 17 yo and 13 yo son. For a couple of years my oldest used Proactive quite successfully. Now my 13 yo is using it. Both have had relief from the embarrassment of zits, at a low cost. Neither needed to see a Dermatologist for treatment.

 

[MaryKLady]

I agree, he could be "over medicating". You should really give any product 2 weeks before you decide it works or not...and try ONLY one new product at a time. That way you can truly determine which one is working or not.

Has he tried Proactive? I used it years ago and it helped me tremendously. I remember how tough it is to have "stinky" skin. Good luck.

 

[MaryKLady]

...and try ONLY one new product at a time. That way you can truly determine which one is working or not.

Except in the case of Proactive which works best as a system. Sorry, forgot that

 

[disykat]

I have a son with pimples and, no, I would talk take him to a specialist for minor breakouts. The reason is that my other son has a serious acne problem and his dermatologist is booked months out. Have him talk with your general practicitioner. IMO, for those who mention going to the dermatologist for self esteem reasons, unless the doctor feels a dermatoligist is necessary, a counselor would be a better use of time and resources.

 

[MSSANDRA]

At least the Dermo can teach him good skin care, and if need be, treat the acne.
We take DS to a dermo. His is not horrible but we want to be sure that we are doing everything we can to establish good skin care now. His doctor also talks to him about sun care and watching for molds or new places on skin. Great skills for any teen to learn!!!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

At least the Dermo can teach him good skin care, and if need be, treat the acne.
We take DS to a dermo. His is not horrible but we want to be sure that we are doing everything we can to establish good skin care now. His doctor also talks to him about sun care and watching for molds or new places on skin. Great skills for any teen to learn!!!

I totally agree here. Having your son taught proper hygiene is really important. From my experience (DS14) he will listen to the Dr. and not me. We could have said the same thing verbatim and the Dr. would be right and I would be wrong. Here's hoping that your co-pay is not that bad. Good Luck!

 

[mjkacmom]

I never had pimples, but DH did, so my kids have a chance to be pimple-free. I'm taking mine to the dermatogist as soon as they ask, or if it bothers me. Come to think of it, dd13 has some weird bumps on her face - I think I'll make an appointment, because it takes about 3 months when you are a new patient, so if she gets pimples later on, we can get her right in.

 

[ginnymack]

Honestly, if it is within your family's budget I would let him go. First of all, he will get some good advice on exactly how to clean and care for his skin. If necessary, the Dr can give him something that will help. If it makes him feel better about himself I say go for it.

(And this is from the lady in her mid 30's who has an appt on Tues with the Dermotologist about the same problem!)

 

[crisi]

Honestly, if it is within your family's budget I would let him go. First of all, he will get some good advice on exactly how to clean and care for his skin. If necessary, the Dr can give him something that will help. If it makes him feel better about himself I say go for it.

(And this is from the lady in her mid 30's who has an appt on Tues with the Dermotologist about the same problem!)

That's a big issue. If you have insurance that will cover the dermatologists appointment for acne that is simply cosmetic, then there probably isn't a lot of harm in it.

If your insurance is going to say its a cosmetic issue and you are going to end up with hundreds in dermatologist bills, plus prescriptions - then you have to decide if its worth it.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

That's a big issue. If you have insurance that will cover the dermatologists appointment for acne that is simply cosmetic, then there probably isn't a lot of harm in it.

If your insurance is going to say its a cosmetic issue and you are going to end up with hundreds in dermatologist bills, plus prescriptions - then you have to decide if its worth it.

Sorry, but you cannot put a price on feeling good about yourself! I would definitely take him to the derm.

 

[holden]

Take him to the derm, but also buy Proactive. I never used a product that worked so well in my life!!! It really lives up to what it promises. I bought mine through QVC and used it for years (don't need it anymore now). I highly recommend it.

 

[crisi]

Sorry, but you cannot put a price on feeling good about yourself! I would definitely take him to the derm.

Lucky you that you can afford $10,000 worth of chin restructure and nose job for your 17 year old daughter so she can feel good about herself. And a $12,000 **** job. And a tummy tuck. Cosmetic orthodontia so your teeth are straight and caps so they are white.

If you can, I have no issues with it. But a lot of people struggle to feed their families on $200 worth of groceries in a month. Non-covered cosmetic dermatology is (and should be) out of their reach.

And I really hope that most kids are raised to feel good about themselves because they themselves and those they respect are good people on the inside. Regardless of if they have a few zits or carry an extra pound or have a nose that is a little too large. Because there are going to be issues with their appearance over time that can't be taken care of by a plastic surgeon.

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

If his "acne" isn't that bad, you could just go to the GP. Especially if it's something that you'd need a referral to go to a dermatologist.

I was treated by my GP for acne (some random pimples, my older brother had bad acne and was on accutane so my mom wanted to catch mine earlier) for about 2 years before it got bad enough to go to the dermatologist. They can write some scripts too! If it isn't that bad he can just get some topical prescriptions, and the GP will evaluate if he should see the dermatologist. Plus, my insurance at the time had you have to go through those steps before going to the dermatologist, and had a sequence of medications, etc, to be covered.

And Proactive will never work for me - I am sensitive to the benzoyl peroxide in it and a LOT of OTC acne medications (causes my face to get RED and swollen and is overall not pretty, and rather painful).

I agree with you that he is probably over treating, as dry skin causes more acne! But I guess it is a lot harder to hear it from mom than a doctor, haha!

 

[mjkacmom]

Lucky you that you can afford $10,000 worth of chin restructure and nose job for your 17 year old daughter so she can feel good about herself. And a $12,000 **** job. And a tummy tuck. Cosmetic orthodontia so your teeth are straight and caps so they are white.

If you can, I have no issues with it. But a lot of people struggle to feed their families on $200 worth of groceries in a month. Non-covered cosmetic dermatology is (and should be) out of their reach.

And I really hope that most kids are raised to feel good about themselves because they themselves and those they respect are good people on the inside. Regardless of if they have a few zits or carry an extra pound or have a nose that is a little too large. Because there are going to be issues with their appearance over time that can't be taken care of by a plastic surgeon.

Nose jobs are almost always covered by insurance, so I'd get one for a 17 year old if needed. We struggle to pay for braces, trust me, but I'd never let my kids grow up with crooked teeth. Extra pounds can be lost, especially with a child's metabolism.

 

[ShannonMB]

Why not just schedule an appt with his regular pediatrician and have him ask if he needs to be seen by a derm? Maybe if his regular dr gives him some advice and feels he doesn't need to go, that will satisfy him. Or if the doc thinks he should be seen, then maybe it wouldn't hurt.

I do consider this a money issue. If it's no hardship to the rest of the family, then go for it. If it is a big financial issue, then he must know that perfect skin is not a birthright. I'm talking about a few pimples here and there, not the terrible acne that really would impact just about anyone's self esteem. For that, I would go all out for my DD, even if we had to do without in other areas.

I am totally out of the loop on acne meds, have no idea what's out there these days. But I would be careful about putting DD on any new meds unless they are totally necessary and after I have done a lot of research. Seems like a new med for this or that comes out every day, and 10 years later you find out they cause heart valve problems, bleeding from the ears, permanent hair loss, or who knows what all!