Children Using Adult Products – A Dermatologist’s Advice

👶🧴 “Children Using Adult Products – A Dermatologist’s Advice”

By Dr. Mohd Rizwan Khan

Dr. Rizwan’s Skin, Cosmetic & Laser Clinic, Shahjahanpur

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Scene 1:

Mom is applying her anti-ageing night cream…

Child enters: “Mujhe bhi lagana hai! Mere chehre pe bhi glow aayega kya?”

Scene 2:

In the shower, your 10-year-old is using your shampoo, your face wash, and maybe even your body scrub.

Looks harmless? Not really.

Let’s talk honestly.

Children using adult skincare or haircare products is becoming common – and risky.

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❓Why Do Kids Use Adult Products?

• Parents share their own creams with kids casually

• Children copy elders, especially teens copying influencers

• Fancy bottles and “glow” promises attract them

• Lack of age-appropriate products at home

But what many parents don’t realise is –

Children’s skin is not mini adult skin. It’s thinner, more sensitive, and reacts faster.

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🛑 What Can Go Wrong?

1. Irritation & Allergies

Adult creams often contain:

• Retinol

• Acids (AHA/BHA)

• Fragrance

• Alcohol-based toners

These are too strong for children and may cause:

• Redness

• Itching

• Rashes

• Peeling

2. Blocked Pores & Acne

Heavy moisturisers or oily face creams can clog small pores in kids.

This leads to early breakouts – especially around nose, forehead and cheeks.

3. Skin Thinning

Some adult anti-ageing or fairness creams contain steroids (hidden or OTC).

Using them on children may cause skin thinning, stretch marks or pigmentation changes.

4. Eye Burning & Hair Fall

Shampoos or face washes with harsh chemicals can irritate eyes and scalp.

I’ve seen cases of excessive hair fall in girls who used strong hair serums and shampoos meant for adults.

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✅ What Should Kids Use?

🌼 For Ages 2–10:

• Mild soap or baby body wash

• Gentle fragrance-free moisturiser (especially post-bath)

• Sunscreen only when playing outside for long (as per dermatologist advice)

👦👧 For Ages 11–15 (Tweens & Teens):

• Mild foaming or gel-based face wash (only if oily skin)

• Non-comedogenic moisturiser

• Sunscreen if going out in sun

• Lip balm (non-tinted)

• No fairness creams, no exfoliants, no night creams!

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💡 Real Advice from My Clinic:

At Dr. Rizwan’s Clinic, we often meet worried parents asking:

“Mere bete ko pimple ho gaya… bas ek hi daane ke liye usne meri face cream laga li!”

Or

“My 12-year-old daughter secretly used my retinol serum for a month because she saw a YouTuber doing it.”

👉 Our advice is always:

Please talk to your children.

Skincare is not a trend to copy blindly. It’s health care. Their skin deserves age-specific products and proper medical advice.

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Rules You Can Follow:

1. Keep adult products out of reach or labelled

2. Buy a basic skincare kit for your child – their own soap, lotion, sunscreen

3. Tell them what’s safe to use and what’s not – in simple words

4. If your teen has skin problems – see a dermatologist, don’t DIY

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✋ Final Word

Sharing is caring – but not when it comes to skincare.

What suits you may harm your child’s delicate skin.

Small age-appropriate routines keep skin healthy and avoid early problems.

Don’t experiment. Don’t copy. Don’t overdo.

📍Visit Dr. Rizwan’s Skin, Cosmetic & Laser Clinic in Shahjahanpur for expert skincare advice for your child or teen.

We help build routines that work for their age, skin type and environment.

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