Why Skincare is Destroying Young Girls' Skin: Leading Dermatologist on What We're Doing Wrong

What the Health

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Wednesday, 15 April 2026 - 55 minutes

One in four British girls aged 9 to 12 are using retinol. Primary school children are turning up to dermatology clinics with skin damage caused by products designed for women in their late twenties. And Sephora and Benefit Cosmetics are currently under investigation for how they market skincare to children.This week on What the Health?! with Claira Hermet, we're getting into the skincare crisis that's quietly playing out in bathrooms across the UK and we brought one of the best in the business to break it down.Dr Emma Wedgeworth is a consultant dermatologist, British Skin Foundation spokeswoman and Harley Street practitioner who trained at the world-renowned St John's Institute of Dermatology. She joins Claira to talk about what actually happens when anti-aging products are put on young skin, why brands are targeting younger and younger audiences, and what she's seeing firsthand in her clinic that should concern every parent in the country. She's also calling out the influencer economy that's driving it .But that's only half the conversation. Dr Wedgeworth also gets into the skincare questions everyone's been wanting answered: the real golden number of products your routine actually needs, what most people are still getting wrong with SPF, and whether red light therapy and microneedling actually work. She also shares her holy grail products and breaks down the biggest misconceptions circulating online right now.

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