San Antonio – Tweens heavily influenced by social media are collecting beauty products instead of toys these days. But there are a lot of questions by parents about what’s safe and what’s not for young girls to put on their faces.
Dermatologist Elizabeth Hughes, MD Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, says parents should be asking dermatologists and pediatricians questions about the long-term effects some of those chemicals might have on kids.
“I would say just stay away from, in particular, lactic acid, even though again, it’s my favorite for my age group, it’s not probably my favorite for the little kids,” she said.
Advertisers are capitalizing on the young consumers with shiny packaging and the bright lights at the store. She said parents should use this trending moment as a learning opportunity.
“There is a difference between advertisement and information. There’s a difference between fact and just influence, right? And that’s something that we can teach our kids,” Hughes said.
“Things to avoid would definitely be retinol. No kid below the age of maybe 18 really needs retinol. No kid needs glycolic acid or lactic acid with a couple very small medical exceptions. And in terms of fragrance, you do not need a lot of fragrance. The more exposed you are to a chemical, the more likely you are to develop an allergy to it,” she said.
She’s already had young patients visit for chemical burns from product trends they’ve tried from influencers. She suggests that parents educate girls about natural, home organic-based products and use the bonding time.
Some products are always a yes.
“Sunscreen, gentle moisturizers, you know, you want to flip it over, make sure it doesn’t have any acid, go for it. And if it fits your family culture, there’s some safe lip glosses and makeups and things like that. But those are the things you can direct your kid toward safely,” she said.