What you should know about teen acne

Teens have enough pressure to deal with and don’t need the added stress that dealing with teen acne can bring. There are many things that teens can do (both at home and at our office) to treat existing acne, prevent future breakouts, and eliminate the risk of scarring.

What causes teen acne?

First, let’s dig into what causes acne and why teens are so prone to it. As children enter adolescence, they begin to go through extreme hormone fluctuations associated with puberty, resulting in increased oil production on their face. This increase is the catalyst for bacterial growth and a decrease in the skin’s ability to shed dead skins causing clogged pores. The bacteria gets trapped in the oil glands and stimulates the body to mount an immune response – there is an invader! This immune response comes in the form of redness, inflammation, and pus AKA a pimple or zit!

When treating teen acne, it is important to consider medical intervention as quickly as possible to prevent the condition from worsening and the possibility of permanent scarring.

At-Home Treatments for Teen Acne

Second, let’s look at what can be done at home to help with acne. Establishing and adherence to a healthy skin care routine should be the first step. A skin care regiment for teens focuses on decreasing oil, exfoliating the skin, moisturizing while reducing inflammation and bacteria. The best products for this are those that contain Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic/glycolic acid. Moisturizers with anti-inflammatory agents, such as polyphenols (green tea extracts) or medical grade products are best as they are free of heavy oils and are non-comedogenic and will usually contain acne-fighting botanicals.

Medical Intervention/Treatments for Teen Acne

Finally, you may need to consider medical treatments depending on the severity of the acne. Treatments include:

The combination of topical and in-office treatments can control teen acne and avoid long-term effects. All is not lost if scarring has already occurred, there are laser treatment – such as ISR, microneedling, eMatrix, chemical peels, and more – that can correct scarring.

Early intervention is the best for both acne and scarring. Teen’s youthful skin and collagen cells respond better to laser stimulation and provide the best outcome.