It was one of the most common holiday gift requests from teenage and tween girls this year, skincare products. Fueled by social media influencers, in 2023, teen shoppers spent 33 percent more on cosmetics and 19 percent more on skincare compared to the previous year, according to insights gathered by investment bank Piper Sandler. Brands like Drunk Elephant and Laneige have become all the rage with children as young as 8 years old, fueled by “get ready with me videos (#GRWM)” on TikTok showcasing these products, ice rollers and other anti-wrinkle skincare appropriate for these children’s parents, but not necessarily the children.
Hackensack University Medical Center dermatologist, Alexis Young, M.D., says she understands the trend, but urges parents to use caution in what they are buying their children and allowing their children to put on their skin. “Social media sites are packed with posts supporting the use and need for anti-aging products but the average social media users are in their teens. Preteens may be influenced by societal pressures to look young, a desire for perceived beauty standards, even their own mother’s skin care regimens,” says Young, who treats teenagers as young as 13 with sensitive skin that is being exacerbated by applying countless products not meant for their use.
“While this may be the trend, it's essential for all of us to buy age-appropriate skin care lines because the ingredients are formulated for different life stages,” Young adds.
Using anti-aging products on young skin can potentially be harmful. These products often contain potent ingredients designed for mature skin concerns, and applying them prematurely may lead to irritation, sensitivity, or other adverse reactions.
Additionally, these products could exacerbate acne concerns for teenagers. While some ingredients may overlap, anti-aging and acne products often contain different formulations. Anti-aging products may include ingredients like retinoids, peptides, and antioxidants, aiming to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Acne products typically contain ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to address breakouts. “Retinoids can be used for both anti-aging and acne, however, additional ingredients in anti-aging retinol formulations could include pore-clogging agents, such as oils, which could exacerbate acne,” Young said. “Additionally, anti-aging products may contain ingredients to combat dryness and promote moisture which can worsen breakouts in young people.”
In addition to cosmetic concerns with using these products too early in life, there can also be serious health concerns. It is possible the use of these products is linked to girls getting their periods at a younger age, which can lead to increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A collaborative study by University of California and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) re
Hackensack University Medical Center dermatologist, Alexis Young, M.D., says she understands the trend, but urges parents to use caution in what they are buying their children and allowing their children to put on their skin. “Social media sites are packed with posts supporting the use and need for anti-aging products but the average social media users are in their teens. Preteens may be influenced by societal pressures to look young, a desire for perceived beauty standards, even their own mother’s skin care regimens,” says Young, who treats teenagers as young as 13 with sensitive skin that is being exacerbated by applying countless products not meant for their use.
“While this may be the trend, it's essential for all of us to buy age-appropriate skin care lines because the ingredients are formulated for different life stages,” Young adds.
Using anti-aging products on young skin can potentially be harmful. These products often contain potent ingredients designed for mature skin concerns, and applying them prematurely may lead to irritation, sensitivity, or other adverse reactions.
Additionally, these products could exacerbate acne concerns for teenagers. While some ingredients may overlap, anti-aging and acne products often contain different formulations. Anti-aging products may include ingredients like retinoids, peptides, and antioxidants, aiming to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Acne products typically contain ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to address breakouts. “Retinoids can be used for both anti-aging and acne, however, additional ingredients in anti-aging retinol formulations could include pore-clogging agents, such as oils, which could exacerbate acne,” Young said. “Additionally, anti-aging products may contain ingredients to combat dryness and promote moisture which can worsen breakouts in young people.”
In addition to cosmetic concerns with using these products too early in life, there can also be serious health concerns. It is possible the use of these products is linked to girls getting their periods at a younger age, which can lead to increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A collaborative study by University of California and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) re
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 While anti-aging products can be a lifesaver for ladies of a certain age, they're not necessarily
00:06 right for our younger counterparts.
00:08 Here to talk about the skin care craze among teens and tweens is Dr. Brooke Jeffy.
00:12 Welcome, doctor.
00:13 Thank you for having me.
00:14 Thank you for being here.
00:15 This is such an interesting topic.
00:17 So we did kind of talk about an article that we both read that addresses this topic.
00:22 This is stuff that I had no idea about.
00:24 This is crazy.
00:25 Young teens and tweens are getting into anti-aging skin care.
00:30 Tell me a little bit about what's going on.
00:31 Yeah, I think there's a lot of factors that really play into this, right?
00:35 So we all have this fear of aging, which seems to get more pronounced with each new generation.
00:41 We're also all so inundated with seeing ourselves on social media, on camera.
00:46 Kids are doing online school, online extracurricular types of activities.
00:50 So they're constantly looking at their face.
00:52 And I think that drives it too.
00:54 There's also this desire to fit in.
00:56 So when we see influencers and social marketing campaigns utilizing those, you know, this
01:01 is in front of our kids' faces all the time.
01:03 And they just have this desire to use those products that they're seeing.
01:07 So this is coming mainly from them seeing other people, influencers on, if it's Instagram
01:13 or TikTok or something like that, using these products.
01:16 And then maybe these kids think, oh, I want to look like them.
01:18 So I'm going to use these same products.
01:20 I think that exactly drives it.
01:22 I have asked numerous teens and tweens in my practice why they are using certain products.
01:27 And it's not because of some benefit that they think they're going to get.
01:31 It's because they tell me that they like how the product looks on their counter and their
01:35 vanity.
01:36 Oh, wow.
01:37 So it's not even necessarily about the benefit of what it's going to do for you.
01:40 It's just having the product itself.
01:42 Exactly.
01:43 Wow.
01:44 That's so interesting.
01:45 Okay.
01:46 So talk a little bit about some of the harmful things that these products can do to young
01:50 teen and tween skin.
01:51 Exactly.
01:52 So these anti-aging products that we tend to use, things like retinol, exfoliating acids,
01:56 stronger concentrations of vitamin C, they are very potentially irritating to our skin.
02:02 Oftentimes, adults even struggle to tolerate some of these products.
02:05 Okay.
02:06 But they're very irritating, can harm our skin barrier, which functions to protect us,
02:10 to prevent us from our skin drying out, to help fight infections, and to help protect
02:15 our skin from sun damage.
02:17 So when they're using these products with no benefit, right, it's all risk.
02:22 And that's where the issue comes in.
02:23 So I frequently see in my practice kids coming in with rashes, breakouts, because they've
02:28 been using some of these products that just are too harsh for their skin.
02:31 Got it.
02:32 So this is something that at that age, they really, really want to stay away from.
02:36 So what is it that you suggest that they use?
02:40 Exactly.
02:41 So we want to keep it more simple with tweens and younger teens.
02:45 So I have three examples here of different regimens.
02:48 As you can see, they're each three products.
02:51 So cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
02:53 Sunscreen being, of course, the most important thing to start at a young age.
02:57 Absolutely.
02:58 Also want to look for products that are oil-free, non-comedogenic, which means they don't contribute
03:03 to clogged pores and acne.
03:05 And ideally, fragrance-free.
03:07 So keeping it simple, thinking about the fact that your kid's skin is more, your tween or
03:13 teen, their skin is more like a baby's skin than your skin can be a great guiding principle
03:19 for you.
03:20 You would never grab a retinol or some kind of anti-aging product and think about putting
03:24 it on your baby.
03:25 So put it on your baby.
03:26 Oh, absolutely.
03:27 Yes.
03:28 So, okay.
03:29 So talk quickly about each one of these and some of the benefits of these three packages.
03:32 Yeah.
03:33 So one thing that's a bit overwhelming out there is just how many products there are.
03:36 So I actually created a line for tweens called B-Tween.
03:39 And so right now, there's two products, a cleanser and a moisturizer, more to come.
03:43 Great for all skin types, okay?
03:45 You pair it with a sunscreen, it is great for all tweens and teens.
03:48 Love it.
03:49 And if your tween or teen has more sensitive skin, maybe they're on the younger spectrum
03:53 of that age group, Vanna Cream, all of their products are fabulous, fragrance-free, great,
03:59 great options.
04:00 Okay.
04:01 If you have maybe an older teen, they're starting to get a little more oil, you could look for
04:04 products that say they're more for oily skin, the Slime by La Roche-Posay.
04:08 They have multiple products, but they do a great job telling you which products are for
04:11 oily skin.
04:12 So we have a foaming cleanser, a lighter gel lotion, and a very lightweight sunscreen.
04:16 Okay.
04:17 I love all of this.
04:18 So this is something for kind of the sensitive, the oily, if you're going into, you know,
04:21 those teen years, trying to break out a little bit, that's a good one.
04:24 And then something that you have designed that's really good for everybody.
04:26 I love it.
04:27 All right, Dr. Jeffy, tell everybody where they can find you, follow you, and work with
04:30 you.
04:31 Yeah, so love for you to follow me on my social media, which is @brookjeffymd.
04:36 My practice is in North Scottsdale.
04:38 It's called @brookjeffymd.
04:39 Love it.
04:40 Nice and easy.
04:41 Yes.
04:42 So www.brookjeffymd.com, and then the Between products can be purchased in my office or
04:48 online at www.meetbetweenbtwn.com.
04:53 I love it.
04:54 And you were saying earlier that you do some little highlights or tips or stuff on social
04:58 media.
04:59 I do.
05:00 So that's a good place for people to go to just get ideas and just kind of, you know,
05:02 follow along, and maybe if this is something you just want to go grab at the drugstore,
05:06 they can follow you and learn all about that.
05:07 Exactly.
05:08 Awesome.
05:09 All right, doctor, thank you so much for being here.
05:10 This was very informative.
05:10 informative.
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