How Important Is Skin Care to You?

It's sad how brainwashed people are by the pharmaceutical industry. I think what you did was WONDERFUL. I wish someone like you would have spoken to my son:-) I am a big believer in that what you eat affects your skin and that we need to put only products on our skin that we could actually eat. I don't understand these moms that have no qualms about giving their kids these terribly toxic drugs for acne without even questioning. Keep on doing what you do!!!

hi, at what salon do you work??

I broke out a LOT as a teen, and still have break outs now, so I understand what you were trying to do. My daughter is 9 and already starting to break out. At this point I have her using mild cleansers that are all natural. However, if she does end up as bad off as I had it in my teen years, I wont hesitate to use ProActive, or something else. I know what it was like for me, and I was so overcome with it as a teen that I would wear foundation almost all the time to hide it (which I'm sure didn't help it, but I was very good at making it look like I didn't have any break outs). I don't want my daughter to feel like she has to go to that step. It is much better not wearing make up, how ever, if the problem gets out of control then you do what you can.

Let me know what products you have, maybe they'll work well enough that it will never come to the other alternatives.

I don't have any kids in that phase of life but I feel like I constantly battle with Acne and I've been reluctant to try Proactive etc. I would love to know some tips that are more natural. Especially for my chin area. I understand that stress & hormones effect that area and cause problems.

I can't believe adults could be be so rude. Even if I disagreed with a speaker, I wouldn't have been so bold to openly tell them so.
In this day and age of "going green" I also can't believe that people aren't open to more natural and "old fashioned" methods.
I personally would have loved to hear you speak. I had horrible acne in my teen years and my face has the scars to prove it. My 15 yr old son is currently struggling with it. We are using a mild cleanser and it seems to dry up what is there but does not keep it from breaking out. I have thought about going to something stronger but I am hesitant to spend all that money. I would absolutely never put my child on Accutane (to many side affects). I also have twin 10yr. old daughters (almost 11). If I could prevent them from having to deal with acne, I would be willing to try anything natural.

I have never heard of an aestehtician. What is that? I would love to hear more.

C.

I am the mother of two teenage boys. I have been taking them to a dermatologist for almost a year. They both have pretty bad acne. For 2 yrs we tried "home remedies" to no avail. They are under the care of a great dr & I have no regrets.

Well, it depends. I do believe that prevention is better than a cure, but also that some acne is just a fact of that stage of life. I would prefer my daughter have acne than use crazy chemical products. I prefer an all-natural/organic approach and we only buy beauty products that are 100% natural origin. I think a facial is good for more than just skin results too though! What adolescent girl couldn't use a lil stress relief??

If a parent disagrees with it though, I do believe it is their place to say so, since you were talking to their children about it. There is a such thing as tact, though!

It's nice that you are involved with your daughters, and nice of you to take the time to share your knowledge about good skincare with her classmates. You taught them about skincare, now who's going to teacher their mothers about manners? Honestly, I don't know what's happening with people. Probably in the great majority of teenagers, a good skincare regime would be all that is needed to get them through. I think most would agree that serious acne can be devastating to a child's self-esteem and social development. Certainly there are instances where things are so very bad that medical intervention is necessary, but is that any reason to criticize you for trying to help? Don't feel bad. People are just rude.

When i was young there were classes for girls to learn how to take care of their skin. They were once a week for 6 or 8 weeks. Can't find any of those anymore. Prevention and proper skin care is so important to start young and to become a regular routine. Personally,if you were in the phoenix area i would love to set up up with a group of girls (14 yr olds) for classes. Starting with skin care (from cleansing to sun protection) and following thru with make up, how to apply, what to look for in a product... There is a market for that skill and it is so needed. If you were to offer that in your salon i bet some of those unhappy response parents would even sign their girls up for it. You'd be surprised, and smile when you realize you really are appreciated (whether acne is a passing phase or not, getting the basic knowledge on caring your yourself will last a lifetime).

I am a Mary Kay Consultant so my opinion may be a little biased. Personally, I am blessed with decent skin-even in the jr high and high school years. I strongly feel medicines should be used as a last resort (with anything- especially anitbiotics) after trying many other methods first. I have noticed a huge difference in my skin since I started using the MK routine. I have less break outs and my skin just looks great overall- all this with no meds!

I can't imagine what the moms were thinking when they gave you a hard time. Every one is entitled to an opinion and you provided your prefessional knowledge. If some of the moms didn't agree with you, they should have just thanked you for your time and handled it at home. I would bet there were several moms who learned a lot from you and agreed with you but just didn't speak up. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

Don't get discouraged. I wish more parents were willing and able to contribute to their kids school as you did!

C. L

I would go to an aesthetician for sure, and actually do for my son. I am trying to put myself in their shoes to understand where they may have been coming from, but so far no luck! I think it was a great thought that you had.

Hi A.,
I agree with you - when my son had problems with his skin breaking out in junior high school I took him to my
aestehtician for a facial (told him she was the skin care
lady).He had tried numerous things, including Proactive.
The Proactive destroyed many purple colored towels in our
bathroom and when I asked the aestehtician about the product
her response was - "If the product is taking the color out
of the towels, what do you think it is doing to his skin?"
He had the facial and we purchased some skin care products
that were recommended.My son is now 22 yrs. old and has
beautiful skin. He learned at a young age how important
cleaning his face was - i just wish that other mom's knew
the importance of skin care was for boy's and girls and
medication should be a last resort.

I would take my daughter to an aesthetician or dermatologist.

Wow! I wonder if those meds are covered under their insurance, and they're taking the "mainstream" easy way out? Those comments sound almost as if they're stemming from jealousy. Maybe they talk it down because they can't afford aesthetic services? I would love for my daughter to hear tips and pointers from one. I can definitely recognize the importance of a good facial in more ways than one. My dd isn't of this age yet, but husband and I suffer all the time from blemishes. No one teaches the men, I had to tell him to stop using products that unnaturally strip the oils from his skin because it makes the glands work overtime to compensate - thus more oil! I didn't think i was "old fashioned" from keeping up on this. I can't wait to start teaching and learning this stuff when my daughter gets older. It should be fun. I think meds should be the LAST resort with anything. Green is getting more "normal" so maybe it's these parents that are "old school or old fashioned" and if they paid attention to these pharma companies agenda (to make money) they'd question it as well. It's a matter of open-mindedness vs. closed mindedness and that you just want the best for your children and were trying to help others. Watching what we eat and good personal hygiene is not vain! If everyone were a little better and more educated on hygiene we may not have as much disease and less need for all the meds! There is a time and place for medicine, but the vanity does not come from cleanliness and combatting hormones naturally. You go girl!

I have to say A., that although my daughter is only 2 1/2, when she gets of age to do so, I would much rather use a good cleanser and regime before I put her on something like Accutane. I think Pro-active is prob a good enough product, but I have heard it is very drying to their skin, which I think looks just as bad. I say get them to drink as much water as possible, eat good stuff and keep up a good skin regime every night! If I would have been there I would have been glad to hear your info. I think they might be the same group of Moms who allow their kids to eat fast food and drink a bunch of soda. Take care

S. Atkinson