How to deal with adolescent zits

[Palo Verde]

My son is only 12 and already he has a total gross pizza face. He says he washes it with soap and water twice a day (I half believe him) and I just gave him some acne pad to wipe on his face after showering, but I have seen no improvement.

Advice?

[Gus Gusterson]

I had acne when I was a teenager, and I wish my parents had done what I will do if my kids have acne - take them to a dermatologist. None of the stuff at the store worked for me and I had pretty bad acne well into my 20s. It sucked.

[Freudian Slit]

You could try seeing a dermatologist--a lot of times they put you on antibiotics or on prescription creams that are a lot more effective.

Plus I'd refrain from the gross pizza face remarks.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

I use ProActiv Solution. Well, some of the Solution. Not every one of their like six products. I use the Renewing Cleanser and Repairing Lotion and it works like a charm. You might be able to find some kind of automated kiosk thingy in a mall nearby to save you the trouble of hitting up a dermatologist.

[Palo Verde]

The biggest problem is that he is a 12 year old boy, and not real into putting a lot of stuff on his face. He says he washes it, but I don't really think he does it regularly. He doesn't like girls (yet) so he really doesn't have the incentive to fix it.

Maybe I just have to wait until it starts bothering him.

[Hello Again]

The biggest problem is that he is a 12 year old boy, and not real into putting a lot of stuff on his face. He says he washes it, but I don't really think he does it regularly. He doesn't like girls (yet) so he really doesn't have the incentive to fix it.

Maybe I just have to wait until it starts bothering him.
Overwashing (including too frequently, scrubbing too aggressively, or using an inappropriate soap) can actually cause problems, so if he is really washing his face twice a day with hand soap or body soap he should stop doing that. At the minimum buy him a product that is actually intended for face washing (http://www.neutrogena.com/econsumer/ntg/productdetail.browse?segment=women&catId=1&subCatId=3&productId=18&target=/products/face/oil-free-acne-wash.jsp).

[aruvqan]

You could try seeing a dermatologist--a lot of times they put you on antibiotics or on prescription creams that are a lot more effective.

Plus I'd refrain from the gross pizza face remarks.

+1

He might stumble onto the dope, and getting hit with a phrase like that sucks when you are still forming your personality. I hated having it pointed out to me, even gently. I *knew* what I looked like thankyouverymuch.

I was on a couple different antibiotics off and on all my life, and it took forced menopause to stop the zits [I had them all whipped into submission except for about 3 very recalcitrant locations that recurred all the time] but I dont think nutering him is the answer....

[Freudian Slit]

I was on a couple different antibiotics off and on all my life, and it took forced menopause to stop the zits [I had them all whipped into submission except for about 3 very recalcitrant locations that recurred all the time] but I dont think nutering him is the answer....

But then he won't go through male pattern baldness! (Well...if you do it in time.)

In addition to neutrogena, Cetaphil and Aveeno are good facial washes for sensitive skin.

[Cat Fight]

You could try seeing a dermatologist--a lot of times they put you on antibiotics or on prescription creams that are a lot more effective.

Just a warning – not sure if Accutane is still being prescribed, but a friend of mine was put on it in high school and only after going off it did he realize it had been the cause of his suicidal depression. Not even a hint of a warning from the doctor.

Agree with Hello Again that he may be making it worse if he's just running a bar of soap over his face, and that overwashing can make things worse. If he's 12 and hesitant to use 'grooming products,' try getting him basic pimple meds in gender-neutral packaging. (It's freaking 2009 and my male friends still won't buy facial scrub marketed to women, even if they love it and it costs less!)

[Markxxx]

There are various types of acne, I had it bad as a teen and still have the pox marks to prove it.

The cystic type is a lot worse and the potential for scarring is greater. A dermatologist will do the best to trade off potential pox marks with healing.

For the average teen acne a dose of OTC acne meds is fine. But if you say "Pizza face," than that is a sign it's bad enough for a dermatologist.

A dermatologist may not be able to clear it up but at least he can do a lot to prevent the pox marks that'll get left behind by overdrying and such

[Freudian Slit]

Just a warning – not sure if Accutane is still being prescribed, but a friend of mine was put on it in high school and only after going off it did he realize it had been the cause of his suicidal depression. Not even a hint of a warning from the doctor.

Well, I don't know about Accutane--I just meant an antibio. I was on one called doxycycline mono for a while but it caused a lot of yeast infections in me. (Blech.)

[Green Cymbeline]

At home solutions: cleanse with a mild cleanser such as Cetaphyl; DO NOT SCRUB with a washcloth or loofah! Then apply benzoyl peroxide 2.5% or 5% cream or gel. This is the active ingredient in ProActiv, so no need to waste your money on that.

However, echoing others, if it really is into "pizza face" severity, he really does need to go to a dermatologist.

[Covered_In_Bees!]

Then apply benzoyl peroxide 2.5% or 5% cream or gel.

Where do you get a cream or gel of BP?

Also, it's the active ingredient in a lot of acne products, including what a dermatologist might prescribe. So you (the OP) might want to try that before going to a dermatologist.

[voguevixen]

I second (third, etc) the overwashing. I found what helped a lot when I was in high school was just to wash during my shower in the morning, then use an acne wipe (or something like SeaBreeze or Witch Hazel) at night before bed.

My parents took my brother to a dermatologist when he was a teen and in addition to some facial wash he had to use the Dr had him severly restrict his sodium intake, which made a big difference. It was awkward for a teenager though because when going out for burgers and stuff he always had to wait for them to prepare a fresh batch of fries so he could get them before salting, etc. A lot of processed food like canned soup and lunch meats and all were out of the question, which was of course all he knew how to cook so he ate a lot of cereal and frozen waffles, lol.

Today he's 35 and a good-looking guy with a lot of self control. Still can't cook though.

[Words on the Interweb]

I know many don't put stock in dietary factors, but from personal experience, my skin has always broken out more when I'm eating more crap. Cutting down on things like soda pop, processed foods, sugar, and greasy foods has always helped me (and vice versa; more of those types of foods = more breakouts). Just something to consider, especially if - like me - you find topical treatments and antibiotics don't help.

ETA: I'm in my mid-30's now and still deal with occasional breakouts, but the above was true in my teens as well.

[Green Cymbeline]

Where do you get a cream or gel of BP?It is harder to find in less than 10% especially in stores, but you can get this Neutrogena "On the Spot" 2.5% BP cream (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=16553&catid=13549) in most drug stores. And I have heard good things about this 2.5% BP treatment too (http://www.danielkern.com/product-p/treatment-8.htm).

[ZipperJJ]

Another vote for "washing twice a day with soap" being bad. First just get him washing twice a day with Cetaphil (http://www.cetaphil.com/Products/Cleansers.aspx), and get him a bar to keep in the shower, too, so he washes his face in the shower with the right product (you can usually find a dispenser bottle at the drug store with a free bar attached).

It might take a while to find what post-washing medication for him to use. Keep an eye out for the condition of his skin - if it starts to look more oily it may actually be more dry (from whatever product he ends up using), or if it actually looks dry and flaky, he'll get more zits.

Also MAKE SURE HE WASHES HIS HAIR. My teenage cousin went through a period of not showering all the time. I think he thought it made his hair look cooler or something. Greasy hair leads to greasy face. Get him to change his pillowcases often, too. I keep a stack of them in the drawer next to my bed, so I can have fresh ones more often than I change my sheets.

Both of you can check out Acne.org (http://www.acne.org/). I went through a period of severe acne recently (just before I turned THIRTY) and went there to read the message boards and came away with some good tips. My issue was cystic acne and I needed a dermatologist's help BUT the message boards seem to be full of very compassionate people, mostly other kids who share their stories and really want to get rid of their acne. If nothing else, I learned not to get too frustrated when something that works for someone else doesn't work for me - acne seems to be pretty diverse in its nastiness.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

The Oxy line of drugstore acne treatment seems to be packaged more for guys. They have the 10% BP creams and 2% salicylic acid pads, plus washes. I'm female and 39, and STILL have regular acne. For me the acid + BP is the only combo that keeps things in a modicum of control, and I have to wash and apply 2x/day for best results.

The clearest my skin has been since I was 12 has only been while under the care of a dermatologist, taking oral antibiotics (tetracycline) and applying topical antibiotics (erythromycin). I wasn't about to stay on all those antibiotics for 20 years, though, so I stopped in my early 20's and have just dealt with it ever since.

Sucks.

[voguevixen]

Also MAKE SURE HE WASHES HIS HAIR.

Another seemingly obviously thing kids might overlook...there's a prescription acne medicine commercial currently running where a kid in every scene is wearing a grimy knit cap pulled down over his ears and face and my husband and I in unison yelled "WASH YOUR GADDAM CAP!" (For gals see: scarves, headbands, and bras for "bac-ne" etc.)

Bringing up Bac-ne reminds me of one thing that really really did the trick one time but you gotta really want it bad - pine tar soap. The one time I grew my hair out long I had it bad like whoa and that was the only thing that got rid of it but man does it reek like hell and strip you clean like Lava. I went back to my usual bob after that.

[Mr Buttons]

It is harder to find in less than 10% especially in stores, but you can get this Neutrogena "On the Spot" 2.5% BP cream (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=16553&catid=13549) in most drug stores. And I have heard good things about this 2.5% BP treatment too (http://www.danielkern.com/product-p/treatment-8.htm).

When I was still dealing with acne 6-8 years ago, this was my go-to stuff. 10% Benzoperoxide would burn my skin, and the salicylic acid product my doctor prescribed didn't do a damn thing.

I used the regimen from acne.org (http://www.acne.org), which is basically just a do-it yourself ProActive regimen. You can find everything they recommend at almost any drug store or Wal-Mart, and it only runs you about $10/month instead of $30-40 (ProActive).
There's also a forum there, in which about 80% of the posters are either suffering acne or have suffered in the past, it's a nice support forum, though I doubt a 12 year old boy would be interested in a support forum. :)

[Countrypolitan]

Also recommending the dermatologist route--I wish I had gone when I was younger. The Pill is the only thing that has slowed (but not stopped) the problem. I use Olay Daily Facials, follow up with Neutrogena Clear Pore astrinigent.

Acne sucks--and it sucks even more that I'm over 30 and still have it!

[GameHat]

I was on Accutane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accutane) as a teen.

It worked like a fucking miracle. My face cleared up in just a month or two.

That said, I never felt "right" when I was on it. I was glad to drop it. Sure, it did wonders for my complexion. But I still never felt quite right.

This was long before I read any of the literature linking it to depression and suicide.

I just remember, as a teen - "yeah, this medicine works pretty well. But I'm happy to be off it. I think acne might be better than staying on this stuff."

It was reinforced when I learned that drinking even a little while on Accutane could kill you.

[Lakai]

Another vote for "washing twice a day with soap" being bad. First just get him washing twice a day with Cetaphil (http://www.cetaphil.com/Products/Cleansers.aspx), and get him a bar to keep in the shower, too, so he washes his face in the shower with the right product (you can usually find a dispenser bottle at the drug store with a free bar attached).

His face could be incredibly oily though. If I only wash once a day I will look like a glazed doughnut by the time I go to sleep. So I have to wash twice.

It could work though. The thing with acne is that different things work for different people. Some people can get better with over-the-counter creams, and some can't.

I broke down and went to a dermatologist eight months ago. My face is a lot better, but it is getting better at a snails pace. Right now I use Tazorac every other day and Clindamycin lotion twice every day. As a result my face is always oily and I have to wipe it down every few hours. But it is getting clearer, so I'll put up with the wiping until I stop seeing improvements.

[Nava]

Dermatologist+1.

The acne may be caused by many different things, really; most OTC stuff does nothing for me and even less for Lilbro (who needed a course of hormones in order to reduce his acne to manageable levels), Middlebro has never had more than three zits at a time and he seems to get them exclusively on his left shoulder.

[aruvqan]

Dermatologist+1.

The acne may be caused by many different things, really; most OTC stuff does nothing for me and even less for Lilbro (who needed a course of hormones in order to reduce his acne to manageable levels), Middlebro has never had more than three zits at a time and he seems to get them exclusively on his left shoulder.

Id be willing to bet he sleeps on his left side ...

Also, skin on skin contact can cause issues. I shifted to long sleeves for a while and it helped [I sleep frequently with one arm cradling my face, and it would cause acne where the skin rested on other skin, trapping the oils and dirt between them I would imagine]

Frequent changing of the pillow case as mentioned above works, also try a buckwheat pillow - I hate a warm pillow and buckwheat seems to stay cooler.

I am going through hot flash hell right now, and I have to wear 100% cotton bras 24 hours a day to absorb any under the breast in the crease sweat, otherwise I get black and whiteheads from hell. I cant wait for that to stop.

[ZipperJJ]

His face could be incredibly oily though. If I only wash once a day I will look like a glazed doughnut by the time I go to sleep. So I have to wash twice.

Ya missed my point...washing twice a day is not bad, washing twice a day with soap is what's bad. I was recommending that he stop using whatever soap he's using and switch to Cetaphil, not recommending that he stop washing so much.

[lindsaybluth]

Please please PLEASE take him to a dermatologist. If you lack healthcare, take him to a Minute Clinic (which is CVS's), but Walgreens and other drug stores have these small clinics run by nurses and Physician's assistants. For $60, he will get advice and recommendations for what to use. It will save him a LIFETIME of scarring, which he'll get from popping his pimples. There are generic drugs to treat acne now, it may seem like a lot of money to plunk down right now, but in the long run it will pay off - and quickly.

Let us know how it turns out.

[steadierfooting]

+1 on lindsaybluth's comments.
I had moderate acne through my teenage years. Spent tons of money on OTC, tried a dermatologist that wasn't helpful (he just kept throwing random things at me and not really helping). Finally at 24 tried another dermatologist (actually a Phys assistant) recommended accutaine. I took it, with no side effects or problems, and now 5 years later I get maybe 2 little pimples a year.

Spend the $$ now regardless of health insurance. It'll save soo much money in the future to figure out the proper way to handle it, and the developmental disadvantages that come from acne and will be avoided with your kid. Now is the time to do it before he's interested in girls, and girls are interested in him -- as you are aware, and probably why you are seeking the advice.

[Labrador Deceiver]

The biggest problem is that he is a 12 year old boy, and not real into putting a lot of stuff on his face. He says he washes it, but I don't really think he does it regularly. He doesn't like girls (yet) so he really doesn't have the incentive to fix it.

Maybe I just have to wait until it starts bothering him.

Or, you could realize that there may not be a darn thing he can do about it without the help of a doctor. If I had a nickel for every time I heard a parent incorrectly blame their child's acne on bad hygiene, I'd have a whole lot of nickels.

Please keep an open mind and take him to the dermatologist. If you don't, the physical acne scars could be with him for life.

[Shagnasty]

Like others suggested, all the face washing and OTC products in the world won't help some people. It takes a dermatologist to sort it out. My skin wasn't all that bad as a teenager but I wouldn't respond to anything other than the highest dose of Accutane. That stuff really is the nuclear bomb of skin medication and can be described more as a cure than an ongoing treatment. It does have some severe side-effects though and I became suicidal on it as well but it fixed the problem for good.

[badbadrubberpiggy]

Or, you could realize that there may not be a darn thing he can do about it without the help of a doctor. If I had a nickel for every time I heard a parent incorrectly blame their child's acne on bad hygiene, I'd have a whole lot of nickels.

Please keep an open mind and take him to the dermatologist. If you don't, the physical acne scars could be with him for life.

Seriously, especially if he actually has cystic acne (from your description, I expect he does). Aside from looking terrible and leaving scars, it's very painful. And washing with "soap" twice a day is going to do absolutely zip for it, or most kinds of acne, for that matter. Also, none of the acne pads I've ever tried did anything, either.

Many treatments work, but they work differently for different people - a lot of people here recommended Cetaphil. You don't wanna see what that stuff does to my face! ProActive only worked OK for me, and not all that well on cystic pimples.

Which is why I won't recommend a specific regimine for him here - aside from what he may get prescribed, it's a lot of trial & error, and what works will change as he gets older, too.

[Gesturing Mildly]

Just a side note that I'm sure everyone learns the hard way: Benzoyl Peroxide bleaches out your clothes. And your sheets. And your towels. He might want to switch to white shirts for a while.

[Freudian Slit]

Just a side note that I'm sure everyone learns the hard way: Benzoyl Peroxide bleaches out your clothes. And your sheets. And your towels. He might want to switch to white shirts for a while.

Heh. Yeah, I never had a problem with my towels but I remember some of my sheets having lighter splotches on them from it.

[Jamaika a jamaikaiaké]

Why can't you just leave the kid alone and let him have acne like everyone else? What's the big deal?

[Freudian Slit]

Why can't you just leave the kid alone and let him have acne like everyone else? What's the big deal?

Well, because people don't always like having acne especially since by the OP's own (granted, insensitive) description, his son's acne isn't limited to the occasional pimple, but seems to be very severe in nature. And not everyone's acne just clears up or goes away on its own. And, as others have pointed out, it can leave lasting scars if not treated.

[trupa]

Get him henceforth to a dermatologist. They have access to products you can't get OTC. They know which OTC product will work for your son. Mine recommended Cetaphil Oily skin wash and prescribed a cream that has PB and Clindomycin, an antibiotic. At age 41, ti's the first time I had totally clear skin since puberty.

[Jamaika a jamaikaiaké]

Well, because people don't always like having acne
It seemed like the OP's son didn't mind, and that only the OP did. I vote for "leave him alone."
especially since by the OP's own (granted, insensitive) description, his son's acne isn't limited to the occasional pimple, but seems to be very severe in nature. And not everyone's acne just clears up or goes away on its own. And, as others have pointed out, it can leave lasting scars if not treated.
I'm still not convinced, but as I'm clearly in the minority here, I suppose I'll have to leave it at that.

[Shagnasty]

I'm still not convinced, but as I'm clearly in the minority here, I suppose I'll have to leave it at that.

You can't honestly tell me that you have never seen someone with permanent acne scars on their face and sometimes severe ones. There is no reason for any parent to take that lightly because they are usually permanent. If you have medical insurance, there is no reason not to talk to a dermatologist. They specialize in skin which is the bodies largest organ. We aren't talking about plastic surgery. It is a medical condition that can be treated.

Here is an article on actors with acne scars:
http://videotyme.com/2009/03/03/actors-with-acne-scars/

[gurujulp]

Just a warning – not sure if Accutane is still being prescribed, but a friend of mine was put on it in high school and only after going off it did he realize it had been the cause of his suicidal depression. Not even a hint of a warning from the doctor.

Agree with Hello Again that he may be making it worse if he's just running a bar of soap over his face, and that overwashing can make things worse. If he's 12 and hesitant to use 'grooming products,' try getting him basic pimple meds in gender-neutral packaging. (It's freaking 2009 and my male friends still won't buy facial scrub marketed to women, even if they love it and it costs less!)

The accutane is what was responsible for me NOT scarring, and it is a miracle drug, for real.

If it is really bad enough to warrant 'pizzaface', then it is worth a try. It does have possibilities for side effects, but it is the only thing I ever tried that 100% worked and immediately.

[Jamaika a jamaikaiaké]

You can't honestly tell me that you have never seen someone with permanent acne scars on their face and sometimes severe ones. There is no reason for any parent to take that lightly because they are usually permanent. If you have medical insurance, there is no reason not to talk to a dermatologist. They specialize in skin which is the bodies largest organ. We aren't talking about plastic surgery. It is a medical condition that can be treated.

Here is an article on actors with acne scars:
http://videotyme.com/2009/03/03/actors-with-acne-scars/
I still think it is a cosmetic condition, not a medical one.

[Countrypolitan]

Spoken by a person who's never had a blemish, I suppose. Try being stigmatized and ostrasized by something you never asked for and can't control. Try thinking well into adulthood, do people see what I see in the mirror and think I don't take care of my personal hygine? Do people see the real me or just my blemished skin?

Try having an enormous break-out on your body where you can't reach well to treat it, and dammit, those THINGS HURT LIKE HELL!

[Alice The Goon]

I still think it is a cosmetic condition, not a medical one.


You're wrong on this. It's not a matter of opinion, but rather, fact. Acne is a medical condition. Even my spam tells me this! I worked many years for dermatologists. There's a lot of misconceptions, myths, and false information out there about acne. Plus people respond differently to different medication. Although I don't see how Cetaphil could cause harm to anyone's skin- it's a very mild, non-pimple-causing product.

Accutane has never been strictly proven to cause depression, and in fact, severe acne causes much more depression than has ever been linked to Accutane. I have experience with hundreds of Accutane users, and have never known one to complain of depression while on Accutane that didn't already have a history of it.

Please take your son to the derm, and give him the best possible chance of having a good teenhood experience you can. Being a teenager is hard enough without having to deal with having a huge glaring flaw right there on your face. Fortunately for me, I've never had a pimple on my face- believe it! But I can empathize.

I did read today that a high-glycemic diet is linked to acne, FYI.

[freckafree]

Countrypolitan, that was well said, and I'm sorry you had to go through that.

[Alice The Goon]

I don't know- if you have big, painful cystic-like pimples on your body parts, you might wanna, you know, get that checked out. It could be staph or even mrsa. That's not normal.

[Jamaika a jamaikaiaké]

Spoken by a person who's never had a blemish, I suppose.
You would be supposing wrong.
You're wrong on this. It's not a matter of opinion, but rather, fact. Acne is a medical condition.
What exactly does this mean, then? Does this mean there are actual health detriments, and not just cosmetic ones (e.g., scarring)? The Wikipedia page for acne doesn't list any, so please fight my ignorance.

I understand that acne can by psychologically difficult, and that teens can be jerks, but the OPs son doesn't seem to mind, so in this case, what's the problem?

[Alice The Goon]

It means, it's not just about the way someone looks. Acne can cause permanent physical scarring- that can have devastating emotional consequences. Most practitioners believe that those things aren't just "cosmetic", which implies that it's not a real issue. But it is a bacterial infection, p. acnes, and thus "deserves" treatment, if we're deciding which ailments should be treated and not.

[ZipperJJ]

I don't know if I agree that "take him to the dermatologist right away!" is the answer for this kid just yet...

The OP really hasn't established if his son is washing properly with the right kind of soaps. He hasn't mentioned if the kid keeps his hair clean or even washes his hands regularly and keeps them off his face. I didn't see any mention of cystic acne - in my mind, "pizza face" is more whiteheads. The OP didn't say if the kid is popping his zits (which can cause more zits) or not. The OP isn't even sure if the kid is using the OTC stuff with any regularity. Does the kid have bacne? Does he wear clean shirts?

I truly feel bad for the kid, having gone through bouts of acne myself. But I didn't see a dermatologist myself until I tried all of the above.

The kid is only 12. He is oily and sweaty in ways he's never been oily or sweaty before. He can't be trusted to keep his hair and face clean or use proper cleaning methods (ie not body soap)...he doesn't know how just yet.

I'd recommend that first you get his hygiene habits up to snuff with what a teenager should be doing, and if that doesn't work then see a dermatologist. Or, if you look at your son's acne and find that it's mostly NOT whiteheads or blackheads, and it IS cystic, then go to a dermatologist to nip it in the bud.

[Alice The Goon]

Why, for christ's sake? Are we now rationing the most basic of healthcare, to the point where someone is set up to have permanent scarring of the face? Testosterone causes most acne- if this kid produces this much male hormone at only 12, and he probably hasn't even hit puberty all the way yet, then he could end up with a serious problem shortly. Best to get him treated now before it gets bad. What does an afflicted supplicant have to do- prove that he deserves to be treated and it's not just out of vanity? Are your copays that high?

[Jamaika a jamaikaiaké]

It means, it's not just about the way someone looks. Acne can cause permanent physical scarring- that can have devastating emotional consequences.
How is scarring not about the way someone looks?
Most practitioners believe that those things aren't just "cosmetic", which implies that it's not a real issue. But it is a bacterial infection, p. acnes, and thus "deserves" treatment, if we're deciding which ailments should be treated and not.
Yes, of course dermatologists think acne should be treated. Dentists recommend teeth whitening treatments. That doesn't make it not cosmetic.

Again, I understand that, due to a defect in our culture (meting out judgement based on looks), physical appearance can be an emotional/psychological problem. However, the OP indicated that their son didn't seem to mind the acne. So, my vote is still: "Leave him alone. He doesn't have a problem; you do. Please don't give him yours."

[Alice The Goon]

Yes, because 12 year-old boys are notorious for knowing what's best for them.

[Shagnasty]

How is scarring not about the way someone looks?

Yes, of course dermatologists think acne should be treated. Dentists recommend teeth whitening treatments. That doesn't make it not cosmetic.

Again, I understand that, due to a defect in our culture (meting out judgement based on looks), physical appearance can be an emotional/psychological problem. However, the OP indicated that their son didn't seem to mind the acne. So, my vote is still: "Leave him alone. He doesn't have a problem; you do. Please don't give him yours."

Let me just ask you what the definition of a medical problem is? I don't see how anyone can deny that having something go biologically wrong with the largest body organ in the entire body is not one under any circumstances. That has nothing to do with teeth whitening.