Successful Ways To Manage Teenage Acne

February 18, 2022

Managing Teenage Acne IS Possible!

Ahhh being a teenager!  So many things happen during these years – first drivers license, high school proms, first loves and … acne.

So many of our longtime clients reach out to us once their children reach those amazing, prepubescent years. They’re concerned because they don’t want their kids to go through what they went through in their teens… uncontrollable acne that may leave their emotions tattered and their skin permanently scarred.

Parents hope it’s just a matter of determining which products are best for their kid, but what they often don’t recognize is that getting teenagers to actually USE their products consistently is most of the anti-acne battle! 

So what are the keys to success for managing and controlling teenage breakouts?  In our 33 years of experience treating their skin, here are our pointers: 

1/ Get your teen’s buy in. Like most things in life, if they aren’t on board and committed to the plan, it most likely won’t work. To prevent acne from forming, topical medication needs to be applied at least once a day, EVERY SINGLE DAY. Without a personal commitment to the plan, they will most likely be inconsistent and you won’t get the desired results. 

2/ Get the right set of products for your teen. This is an easy one because we will help you determine the most effective products, based on your child’s skin type and lifestyle. If you are concerned about your teen’s ability to consistently perform a multi-step routine, please say something and we will try to formulate the most simple routine possible.

3/ Remind your teen the key to clean skin doesn’t involve copious amounts of cleanser and abrasive scrubbing. Gentle is good. Gentle still results in clean, clear skin without irritating their breakouts. With the right cleanser and a gentle exfoliating sponge, their skin will be clean, exfoliated and soft. Remind them that rinsing well is also an important step to skin cleansing. 

4/ Sunscreen is a good thing. Daily use if outdoors (let’s hope they are!), and be sure to share the truth with them that the sun isn’t your friend. But wide-brimmed hats are our friends, however that may be pushing it! 

5/ For kids who wear makeup, remind them it’s essential to wash their faces EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. Regardless of what type of makeup, washing it off and applying topical medications nightly is key to clear skin. 

6/ Urge your child to keep their hands off their skin. That means, no pimple popping! It is sooooo tempting to pop that whitehead, we know, but resist the urge unless it’s really ready to burst and then apply ONLY gentle sideways pressure. Too much downward pressure will drive infection deeper into the follicles, resulting in a larger eruption and discoloration/scarring. 

7/ Urge your teen to eat a well-balanced diet, get exercise, drink plenty of water, and of course SLEEP! We know – it is hard to convince a teen to do just about anything but try. They will thank you later.

Finally, be gentle with these kids. Hormones are a crazy thing, especially when you’re just getting used to them. Stress levels in those adolescent years are high, even though it’s a different kind of stress we have as adults. Be patient and praise them for their efforts. It will encourage them to take better care of their skin! (and maybe clean their room!)