Skincare is all the rage on social media. That’s why you’re reading this, right? From healthcare professionals to influencers to the average person posting their new favorite product or skin care regimen, there’s no shortage of skin-related posts. But take it with a grain of salt. Some people posting have professional training and knowledge, while others might just be giving an opinion. As for the pictures that come with that post—touch-ups and filters are the norm. Even I can admit that for my photos on my website and the podcast, my photographer refined my images, eliminated my chicken pox scars, and made sure my hair was smooth and in place.
What’s concerning now is that a younger generation is posting skincare tips and regimens in a way that isn’t healthy. If you look on TikTok, you will find 9-year-old girls posting about their skincare regimen. Besides the fact these girls are only 9, the other concern is that they are highlighting anti-aging regimens! Part of the draw is the desire to be more grown up and do what grown-ups do—just like we make toy cars for kids to drive, it’s natural for children to want to imitate other things like doing a skincare regimen. However, what is so alarming is the emphasis on younger skin at an inappropriate age and the use of products that can cause problems like skin irritation and contact dermatitis. It also should make us pause and wonder, what message are we communicating to young girls? And how, as adult women, can we model a better approach to our skin and growing older?
As the mother of two girls, the last thing I want is to have my daughters obsess over wrinkles and staying young. Instead, the focus should be on promoting skin health. This can start in childhood, and you can tackle it by discussing why we brush our teeth or eat healthily. I tell my daughters we care for our skin because it’s part of our bodies, just like our teeth. We cleanse our skin, moisturize it, and protect it from irritants and the sun. There’s no need to talk about wrinkles, but know that focusing on skin health has anti-aging benefits that will help them in the future.
It is critical to keep a tween regimen simple, but you also want to make it fun. For parents out there, I recommend three simple steps to tween skincare. 1. Use a gentle cleanser 2. Moisturize daily 3. Apply a mineral-based sunscreen. If your tween is struggling with acne, you can add in over-the-counter products like adapalene cream at bedtime or a cleanser with salicylic acid. Just be careful because acne-fighting products can be irritating to the skin. You may also consider products that offer a skincare experience, meaning they smell great, feel good, and create results. One of my favorite product lines for tweens is Bright Girl www.brightgirl.com.
So if your 12-year-old daughter asks what anti-aging regimen she should be doing, the answer is none. Change the conversation to let’s start a skin plan that keeps your skin healthy. Just like you try to eat right and exercise to keep your body at its best, we will create a skin routine that keeps your skin healthy. And when she asks you, “Well, why do you use anti-wrinkle creams?” The answer is, “Because I wasn’t so good at keeping my skin healthy at your age, I have to work a little harder to make it healthy again.”
Trotter’s Take: Social media and the anti-aging craze are not going away. We need to refine our message to the younger generation and highlight skin health as the foundation of skincare.
Join this week’s podcast to hear Dr. Angela Casey, founder of Bright Girl, a skin line dedicated to tweens, as she talks about skin health for young girls and boys.
