The Skin Nerd: The best products to target spots without damaging young skin

It’s never too early to take care of your skin

The Skin Nerd: Whatever your age, expert advice is always beneficial when it comes to matching your skin needs

Help! My 11-year-old son has just started getting spots and I don’t know how to help! This is a lot earlier than I expected and I am not sure what products (if any) to suggest and really don’t want to make the situation worse!

— Maeva, Cork

Oh no, nothing like a tricky zituation to start the new year. Thanks for reaching out, Maeva. Blemishes can be hard enough for us, but just as frustrating when we are watching our children experiencing them. 

Firstly, you absolutely did the right thing in reaching out to a professional before blindly purchasing a truckload of skincare products and hoping one works.

Whatever your age, expert advice is always beneficial when it comes to matching your skin needs to the ingredients that will help you meet them. While many products will claim to zap spots away or give miraculous results, lots of these will have potent, active ingredients that may irritate younger skin, so expert advice and thorough research is always the best formula.

Now your son is in that in-between stage bridging childhood and the teenage years, it’s not uncommon for spots (and other signs of puberty) to begin arriving. Teenage acne is typically present in pre-pubescent or pubescent teenagers and is due to the regulation of hormonal activity. Sebaceous glands are smaller in children but become large and active at puberty being sensitive to androgens (which are a group of hormones, the most well-known is testosterone, however all bodies, regardless of sex, produce some level of androgens for reproductive health and development).

Rather than approaching your tweenager’s skin on a problem solving, spot-by-spot basis, I suggest embracing this milestone as the ideal time to learn the basics of good skincare! A simple, consistent regime will help him to keep his skin as clean and clear as possible and set him on the path for a lifetime of good skin health.

Start with the basics

Cleansing twice a day is imperative but at preteen age, it’s just as important to not use anything that might strip delicate skin. Although ‘cleansing waters’ are currently trending, I don’t recommend micellar water as many formulas contain drying alcohol and fail to cleanse the skin thoroughly enough. A cleaning mitt (€6.50, theskinnerd.com) is ideal for gently sweeping away the ‘top layers’ of dirt, debris, or pollution that may have accumulated during the day and can be used with just water. 

Next, find a nourishing, gentle daily cleanser such as Skingredients PreProbiotic Cleanse Hydrating Cleanser (€26, skingredients.com) to softly wash the skin more thoroughly. Suitable for all skins and packed with a nurturing prebiotics and probiotics blend, this cream cleanser brings comfort to unsettled skin. 

If you are looking for something more specific, Spots & Stripes is an award-winning brand that was created by a beauty editor that was struggling to find products for her own tweenagers. The skincare line is designed for skin aged 9-plus and contains multiple purpose balms, hydrating face mists and body sprays. My pick? The refreshing Spots & Stripes Gentle Cleansing Lotion (€19, victoriahealth.com), which is a great starter cleanser containing peppermint — a healing essential oil and kanuka — an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory oil to both nourish and soothe while combating blemish-causing bacteria. 

You can also use the Cleanse off Mitt (€6.50, theskinnerd.com) alongside your cleanser, as it will help you to get into any hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Rinse your face thoroughly afterwards to prepare skin for the next stage.

Add moisture

Less is more definitely rings true if you a) are under 18 and b) suffer from acne. While active serums are unnecessary at this age, a simple hydrator that adds moisture to the skin without overloading it can help to keep dry, flaky patches at bay. For light moisture, I recommend Florance by Mills Plump to it Hydrating Facial Moisturiser (€23, boots.ie).

The Florance by Mills skincare range was created by Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown and is especially designed for tween to teenage skin. Of course, you always need to finish with the application of a broad-spectrum SPF. Look for a non-comedogenic, oil-free formula with a mattifying finish like the Heliocare 360 Gel Oil-Free Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen Protector SPF 50 (€29.60, theskinnerd.com) if you’ve got oily skin or prone to breakouts.

Hydrate within

Of course, a balanced, healthy diet helps to feed and clarify your skin from the inside. Avoid too much sugar as research has shown that consuming excess sugar can alter your gut microbiome, leading to excess toxins in the gut and internal inflammation, which can potentially lead to acne. Flush away any toxins and top up your moisture reserves by drinking plenty of water too and ensuring you consume your vitamins by eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Problem-shooting

Skincare is more sophisticated than it was for many of us who remember the toothpaste, vinegar, and even perfume that used to be applied to spots in the hope they would dissolve them overnight. However tempted, encourage your tween to avoid TikTok trends and stick to simple, proven skincare formulated for their age.

As they get older, salicylic acid is a great ingredient for blemish busting. It’s is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that penetrates deep into the oil gland to help clear clogged pores, reduce inflammation, and redness and ultimately clear up breakouts faster. It is a powerful ingredient so care needs to be taken when using it. Environ Sebu Wash Gel Cleanser. This wash contains a relatively mild percentage of salicylic acid, along with glycerin, which helps to protect the skin from dehydration. Take care to only use a pea-size amount and rinse thoroughly after use.

Hopefully, these tips will help you and your son develop a good skincare regime that reaps the rewards now and in the future. The most important thing is to stress that spots are completely normal and natural at this time of his life. Feeling content in your skin can be a life-long journey but these nurturing years make all the
difference when it comes to self-confidence, so do reach out to your GP if he is feeling low or anxious because of his skin.