Teenage Son with Back Acne

Coming from a hockey family, I would recommend what Erica said, the Neutrogena acne body wash. I never had any problems with body acne, but both my younger brothers did until we found that stuff! Good luck!

I had this problem as a teenager and the only thing that worked was seeing a dermatologist and being prescribed Orthotricyclene (oral medication) and Retin-A (topical). Orthotricyclene is much milder than Accutane and has none of the side effects. Good luck!

My friend Angela has a daughter that suffered from severe acne on her back and face. Angela started using the Galvanic Spa on her daughter's skin and it cleared up in only a matter of weeks! Look her up on her website and find out how it works - it looked like a miracle to me! Her site is: http://www.creationsbyangela.com/. Her phone number and email are on this page.

My husband (who's almost 30) still gets BAD body acne unless he takes the Orthotricyclene mentioned by the other mom...I have tried Neutrogena Acne body wash for myself and it worked well...
In response to Kimberly's statement about the Bert's Beeswax - I've read several articles that state that beeswax actually clogs pores, so it's not good for you (even for your lips, because it doesn't moisturize like they advertise that it does).

I think that clearacil (probably spelled wrong) has a body wash, which I used as a teen due to backne. I would recommend it if they still make it.

I don't know of anything medicinally to suggest. However, some ideas....I used to get small breakouts around my bra line and my chest as a teenager fromsweat as well. My mom told me to put antiperspirant/deodorant under my breasts and between them just like I did under my arms everyday. It seemed to work. Have you disinfected his pads? Washed his jersey in a light bleach load? Also, does he immediately throw clothes on after wearing his gear before taking a shower? Maybe getting a track suit and a tank/sleeveless shirt underneath the track jacket so that it airs out before the shower. After the shower he should wait to put a shirt on until he is totally dry. Moisture is the enemy. If it doesn't improve definitely take him to get some cream or meds from a dermatologist. Hope that helps

Melaleuca has an acne treatment system called Zap it that works like proactive without the harsh chemicals. Check out www.melaleuca.com and let me know if you have any questions.
Also, Melaleuca has other products that may interest you, like lotions, toners, cosmetics, etc. Again, all Melaleuca products are safe and natural, without harsh chemicals and bi-products, for less than retail prices

I just saw Burt's Bees has an acne product now. I really like their other products, so I would think it would be good. I didn't notice if it was a wash or a cream. Target had it in the Burt's Bees section. I like their stuff because it's all natural, but I know sometimes natural isn't as effective. GL! I know my husband used to take the orth, I think. I had a friend who did the accutane, and the side effects were worse than the acne.

I've found that washing my back again before bedtime with a wash specifically for acne-prone skin (followed up by a toner for the same purpose) really makes a difference. Good luck!

I would suggest seeing a good dermatologist.

When my daughter was 10 she had NO issues but we went to one of the best derms in the area as a proactive approach because of potential issues.

She have hever taken an RX orally but she does use a wash and gel called Duac which is a dream Rx. Her skin is flawless. At times (being a cheerleader) the sprts bra does cause issues. She also uses an RX gel called Differen which is a bit stronger for any back or chest issues.

The Duac comes with a wash but she primarily uses Clinique Acne wash and moisturizer for her daily cleansers.

Good luck and YES, the sun helps. We are heading to FL for Spring Break and even though her skin is great now, she loves the sun (with SPF) helping clear her up.

You could try Mary Kay's Velocity or the Men's line. If you want more info. go to www.marykay.com/sjperez
Hope this helps!
S.

I had acne on my chest and cleared it up with Tea Tree Oil. It's a natural oil taken from the Tea Tree in Australia. There are tons of products now that use the oil. I think Burt's Bees uses Tea Tree in some of their acne products.

However, you can buy just the oil at a health food store like Sunflower Market or Whole Foods. Put a little on a WET cotton ball and rub it on the area twice a day. The acne should start clearing up in a couple days and be completely gone within a week or two.

It's a natural and inexpensive way to get clean pores and get rid of acne. The only problem is the smell. I used to call it Stinky Tree Oil. When it's used in products the smell is masked, but on it's own... well, it's a little fragrant. It works, though, so it's worth putting up with.

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This may sound crazy but it works. My son would have bad acne and as soon as he let the dog lick his face it seemed to clear up. Must be something to do with the roughness of their tounge or something I'm not sure. So if you have a dog it's worth a try. It's cheap and no medication involved. Good luck.

Try PanOxyl. They have a 5% and a 10% solution. Ask for it in the pharmacy. It comes in a bar, so he could use it on his back.

I've had skin issues since I was a teenager and have tried a bunch of things. Beautiful Skin by Crystal Star is an herbal capsule that I LOVE, when I start to break out, I take it and I start clearing up fast...I recommend giving it a try. I discovered it at Vitamin Cottage, but they don't seem to carry it anymore...here is one place to buy it online: http://www.vitaminlifehealth.com/Beautiful-Skin-Caps-60-C...

Also, I've had success with the 'Proactiv' line of products, which need to be used regularly and diligently, but are definitely effective. Exfoliating the area when washing after practice will probably help too. I'm also a fan of tea tree oil, which dries out zits when applied to them, but is an anti-bacterial, so may help prevent it too.

A gently exfoliating body wash for the shower (and nothing heavily scented) and a high quality body lotion (non-comodogenic & unscented best) can do a lot. The lotion locks in the body's natural moisture and prevents overproduction of oil. And salysilic acid is a good OTC way to help fight the acne (again go for high quality - you really do get what you pay for). It's usually labeled as astringent or toner, or blemish-control toner. Don't use it too often as it can over-dry, but I know several people who it's helped clear up the body acne.

Also consider if it is caused by chafing from the hockey equipment (rather than sweat getting trapped). It could be over-stimulating the sebacious glands, leading to the acne, especially if the sweat gets in there.

King Soopers has an OTC glycolic acid body wash that is available at the pharmacy counter although if the acne is serious enough to consider a dangerous rx like Accutane then you should really see your dermatologist.

Along with his other treatment, have him drink twice as much water.

his body produces a lot of oils there.. ii suggest that he not wear a shirt so that area gets air. it may also be necessary to put on a small amount of oil free moisturizer as to block out other acne causing agents.
after about three years of trying everything for my daughters face... we went to the proactive and that is what did it for her.
good luck and god bless

My sons have been very active in sports, including football with lots of pads. A low dose of amoxicillan daily has kept their acne completely manageable.

Neutragena clean and clear is a topical treatment that works really well when there is a pimple already there (it will sting if it is open though). My husband had pretty bad acne when we first started dating and I FINALLY got him to use some of my facial cleansing pads. He will still get the random pimple, but more from stress, than anything. They are Dove, and I used to get them at Walmart, but have had a hard time finding them lately since they moved everything around. I think that part of what works is that you can really scrub at the skin and get all that oil off. The cleansing cloths, etc. just don't have the abrasiveness to get the skin clean.

I know that someone said no to Burt's Bees, but it isn't Beeswax, it is a natural product, that may or may not contain beeswax. I love all their products, so I would be willing to try that if I found it.

Also, the sun is supposed to help, so as you get closer to the beach vacation, he may try to have his shirt off at home a little more often.

Have him consider his diet and drink lots of water.

Also this doesn't really answer your question but if it doesn't clear up he can wear a rashguard, which is better for protecting his skin anyway. Also when he gets in the sun that will help clear up his acne. Have him do some pre-tanning in the backyard before your trip. My 15 year old brother does that to help his acne.

Retin-A is similar to Stevamycin, what I use, it is prescription but not nasty like accutane. It is a topical gel or cream. It is vitamin A that you rub in, after cleansing, with an antibiotic in it. I have the mildest formula and it still works really well. My twelve year old son uses it now too, he gets pretty bad acne on his face, poor kid. I thought that by the time I was 32 I would have out grown the puberty stage but apparently not... I still get acne fairly bad, ugh!

I am not sure if you son is willing because at first my son was reluctant until his face and back cleared up. I took him to the woman who did my facials and he began clearing after a few visits. She didn't do anything fancy just steam and deep pore cleaning. Pimples start way under the skin and when the pores become clogged so doing deep cleansing can really help prevent the breakouts. Prior to that we went to three dermatologist and was on all types of oral and topical treatments and at times it would get worse. I like you would not use accutane. The breakouts really effected my son as well there were days when he didn't want to go to school so I would have tried anything to help him at that point. I think we went every two weeks and she would charge around 35.00 per visit because she didn't do a full facial she called it a teen facial. Trust me it worked better then any other treatment we tried. He is going to be 25 on Sunday and has had beautiful skin for years. I did the same for my daughter and she also has improved accept for the occasional pimple. I always made the last appointment of the evening so my son could just go in and not have to sit there with all the other ladies LOL!! Good luck I hope this helps.

Neutrogena make a good "body acne" product available at WalMart & most other stores. Our daughter used it to clear up hers during early puberty. It works well. Exposing those body parts to the sun also helps. I don't want to recommend tanning to other people, but that works too. Good luck. Please let us all know what works for him.

I've never had much back acne, but for my face, Neutrogena products have worked well. Also benzoyl peroxide. Check out acne.org for more ideas.

My oldest stepsons have pretty bad back acne. I do not know of any good products (besides proactive)...I have noticed that the boys being in the sun and getting a bit of a tan really mellows it out.

Maybe your son could work on a pre-beach base tan? Then he might look and feel better about removing his shirt as well as help with not getting a sunburn!

~They also have a very huge selection of "body boarding" type shirts the guys wear these days on the beach, if you cant find anything else to make him feel comfortable...besides that just plenty of reassurance that it is normal and really no big deal!

I used to have bad acne as a teenager on my back and sometimes my chest, but mostly on my face. I hated it. Dermatologist after dermatologist, and treatment after insane treatment later the best things that worked for me were tanning in tanning beds and a good swim in chlorine most of the summer long. Now that I'm older I discovered that my facial acne was likely from hormones (we've all got them) and using a skin regiment for the wrong skin type!! I figured I was oily... haha. My skin heals quicker and I get WAY fewer pimples now that I'm using a formula for dry skin. Who'd'a thunk?! Strange. For his back I would definitely go to his regular doctor and see what they suggest.... it could be fungal, or bacterial which is probably easy to clear up. I had some good results with a mild anti-biotic taken internally.... that may help.

Good luck, the beach should be a blast!!

i have acne, still, and i'm 26..
something I recently learned that is easier than meds to try is to drink LOTS of water, and take fish oil --- other than that, they always recommend changing PILLOWcase OFTEN, and then for his case, change bath-towels often too. Hope that helps!
(he might want to keep a white tee on his back anyway to protect from sun)
**This new product I got called MURAD, from online, is pretty cool too**