The Tween Skincare Myth: Why Your Tween Does Not Need Beauty Serums

Written by Dr Nicola Harrison, a GP and mother of an 11-year-old who appears to have a
skincare routine more complicated than her own!

If you've got a tween or young teenage daughter, you'll probably recognise the scene.
"Mum, I NEED this peptide serum" "Everyone uses retinol", "This Vitamin C brightens your collagen"

Meanwhile, she's 11. Her skin is naturally producing plenty of collagen all on its own. She
has got decades before she needs to worry about "plumping".

Welcome to the world of Gen Alpha skincare trends, where YouTube, TikTok and
Instagram have convinced adolescents that if their skincare routine doesn't involve multiple steps, serums, masks and "active" ingredients, then they simply aren't doing it properly…
Meanwhile, dermatologists are becoming increasingly concerned that products designed for adult skin are ending up on young faces that simply don't need them.
The good news? Tween skin is already amazing – adults would pay hundreds of
pounds to get it back!
Their skin:
- Produces plenty of collagen and elastin naturally
- Has a fast rate of skin cell renewal, keeping it fresh and resilient.
- Has not yet accumulated years of UV damage that contribute to premature ageing.
- Doesn't have wrinkles, fine lines or the signs of ageing that these products are
designed to treat.

In fact, the very ingredients marketed to prevent ageing can actually damage young skin.
Retinol? Vitamin C? Acids? Not so fast... Many viral products contain active ingredients that are brilliant — for the right person.

• Retinol
  Cosmetic-strength retinol speeds up skin cell turnover hence reducing wrinkles sun damage. Can cause redness; stinging; peeling; eczema flares.
• Vitamin C
  Vitamin C is a wonderful antioxidant for adults concerned about pigmentation and
  environmental damage. Adolescent skin simply doesn't need it.
• Exfoliating acids
  AHAs. BHAs. Glycolic acid. Salicylic acid. Over-exfoliation strips away the skin's protective barrier, leaving it sore, dry and much more sensitive. Ironically, the tween then needs more products to calm the irritation caused by the first products.

Hormones do change everything
Around 9-13 years old, hormones begin ‘waking up’ the oil glands. This is why so many
tweens suddenly develop oily foreheads; blocked pores and blackheads. It is completely
normal. It isn't because they're 'not cleansing properly'; In fact, scrubbing harder usually makes acne worse.

When should you see your GP?
A few spots are part of growing up. But don't struggle on if acne is: becoming inflamed i.e red; lumpy; leaving pockmark scars; affecting their confidence/mental health.
We have excellent prescription treatments including: adapalene; benzoyl peroxide
combinations; topical antibiotics; oral antibiotics for more severe acne. Early treatment is important because preventing scars is much easier than treating them
later.

So what skincare does a tween actually need?

Honestly? Very little. A healthy routine looks like this:
AM: a gentle cleanser; lightweight moisturiser on drier areas; SPF30-50.
PM: a gentle cleanser; lightweight moisturiser on drier areas.

That's it. No twelve-step routine. No snail mucin masks. No peptide serums. No Korean
'glass skin' obsession.The one product I do want my daughter obsessed with... Sunscreen. If there is one skincare habit that genuinely prevents premature ageing, it's daily SPF. 80% of visible facial ageing is thought to be due to cumulative sun exposure rather than simply getting older. Wearing SPF every day does far more for future skin than any luxury serum ever will.
It also reduces the risk of skin cancer.

A note about "clean' skincare

Aim for a product that is specifically designed for younger skin. Avoiding BPAs and PFAS;
fragrance-free if possible (or fragrance-light); emulsions are better than creams. But most of all gentle for young skin.
Finally... 

I completely understand why our daughters want these products. They're growing up in a world where algorithms know exactly how to market 'perfect skin' to children. Social media blurs the lines between medicated skincare and beauty skincare, encouraging pre-teens to buy products designed for adults.
So rather than banning everything, I try to redirect the enthusiasm. If my daughter wants a little skincare routine? Great. Let's help her to choose a brand that protects her skin, rather than trying to fix problems she simply doesn't have.
Because at 11 years old, the best anti-ageing treatment is... being 11.

Dr Nicola Harrison MBBS MRCGP