Young girls using anti-aging products are seen on social media. The damage is more than skin deep

Content of the article

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – When she was in the fifth grade, Scarlett Goddard Strahan started worrying about getting wrinkles.

When she was 10 years old, Scarlett and her friends were spending their time on TikTok and YouTube watching influencers’ products to achieve today’s beauty aesthetic: dewy, “bright”, flawless skin. Scarlett developed a complex skincare routine with facial cleansers, mists, hydrating masks and moisturisers.

One night, Scarlett’s skin began to burn badly and break out in blisters. The use of strong products for adults causes damage to the skin. Months later, small spots remained on Scarlett’s face, and her cheeks turned red in the sun.

Content of the article

“If I had known that my life was going to be affected by this, I would never have put this in my face,” said Scarlett, who just turned 11.

Scarlett’s experience is common, experts say, as preteen girls across the country flock to beauty shops to buy top-notch skin care products. 8-year-old girls come to the dermatologist’s office with rashes, chemical burns and other allergic reactions to products not intended for children’s sensitive skin.

“When children use anti-aging skin care, it can cause premature aging, destroy the skin’s barrier and cause permanent scarring,” says Dr. Brooke Jeffy, a dermatologist in Scottsdale, Arizona.

More than physical harm, parents and child psychologists are concerned about the effect of the trend on girls’ mental health. Extensive data suggests a fixation on appearance can affect self-esteem and body image and fuel anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

The skincare obsession provides a window into the role of social media in the lives of today’s youth and how it shapes ideals and insecurities, especially for girls. The girls experienced record levels of sadness and despair. Whether social media exposure causes or is merely related to mental health problems is still up for debate. But for teenagers and young adults, it’s clear: full time on social media is bad for them, period.

Content of the article

Content of the article

Young girls’ love for makeup and cosmetics is not new. No child is held to ideal standards of beauty. What’s different now is the scale, said Kris Perry, executive director of Children and Screens, a nonprofit organization that studies the impact of digital media on children’s development.

“Girls are bombarded with images of idealized beauty that create beauty standards that can be very difficult — if not impossible — to achieve,” Perry said.

The obsession with skincare goes beyond the pursuit of perfect skin, explains 14-year-old Mia Hall.

It’s about a community that has a lifestyle and a look that you want, says Mia, a New Yorker from the Bronx.

Skin care wasn’t on Mia’s radar until she started eighth grade last fall. At school and on social media, girls are practicing their skin care routine.

“I feel like this is the only way I can fit in,” Mia said. She started following beauty influencers on TikTok. Some influencers are paid by brands to promote products, but that’s not always the case.

Mia began saving her weekly allowance of $20 for trips to Sephora. Her daily routine includes face wash, facial mist, hydrating serum, pore tightening toner, moisturizer and sunscreen.

Content of the article

The level of detail and information girls get from beauty tutorials sends a disturbing message as they go through puberty and search for their identity, said Charlotte Markey, a body image expert and Rutgers University psychology professor.

“The message to young women is, ‘It’s a never-ending project to start now,'” Markey said.

The beauty industry is cashing in. Last year, consumers under the age of 14 made 49% of drug store skin sales, according to a NielsonIQ report that found households with teenagers and tweens were outspending the average American household in skin care. And in the first half of 2024, a third of “prestige” beauty sales, at stores like Sephora, will be driven by households with teenagers and young adults, according to market research firm Circana.

The industry has admitted certain products are not suitable for children, but has done nothing to prevent children from buying them. The Drunk Elephant website advises children under 12 not to use anti-aging serums, lotions and scrubs. The guide is on the site’s FAQ page; there are no such warnings on the product itself.

Content of the article

Ingredients like retinol and chemical exfoliants like hydroxy acids are harsh in nature. For aging skin, it is used to stimulate the production of collagen and cells. Young skin can react with redness, peeling and burning that can lead to infection, acne and hypersensitivity if used incorrectly, dermatologists say.

Mia’s mother, Sandra Gordon, noticed dark spots on her face last spring and became concerned. She threw all of her daughter’s products into the trash.

Mia is not happy. But when he started high school, he now felt that his mother was right. She only uses face wash and moisturizer and says her skin has improved.

In Sacramento, California, Scarlett missed signs that the product was damaging her skin: She developed a rash and felt a burning sensation. Scarlett thinks she doesn’t use enough product, so she uses more. That’s when his cheeks erupted in blistered pain.

When her mother, Anna Goddard, read the ingredients on each product, she was shocked to find retinol in products that appeared to be marketed to children – including one with a cat’s face on the packaging.

Content of the article

Now, her mother’s biggest worry is the psychological consequences. Children’s comments at school cause anxiety and self-consciousness.

Goddard hopes to see more protection. “I’m not aware of any harmful ingredients being put into skin care products marketed to children,” she said. “There has to be some kind of danger.”

___

Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from numerous private foundations. AP is responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropy, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Content of the article