Pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, zits. Whatever your name for acne, we’ve all endured the nightmare of our teenage years and the misery acne brings—the added anxiety of prom, selfies, and most of all, everyday comfort. Acne doesn’t have to be so disruptive, though. There are methods of prevention and treatment that will allow your teen to reclaim control over their everyday decisions and happiness.

What Causes Acne in Teens?

If you didn’t know, acne results from hair follicles becoming clogged with sebum (naturally occurring skin oil), dead skin cells, or bacteria. This causes the skin to form raised lesions, which may present as white, black, yellowish, or red and swollen bumps. Some may be painful or tender. Acne occurs in people of all ages but more commonly in teens due to the increase in hormones during puberty, which causes the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. One major contributor of acne in teens is inadequate hygiene, which can lead to a buildup of dead skin cells and bacteria in the pores.

How To Reduce and Prevent Teen Acne at Home

Preventing acne as a teen seems unachievable, but there are ways to keep it at bay—even for girls during menstruation or any teen who exercises heavily, when acne usually worsens. To fight acne, your teen should:

1. Wash skin gently. Rough scrubbing and strong soaps can irritate the skin, so a mild cleanser is recommended in the mornings and after exercising. You might also try products with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to kill bacteria and reduce dead skin.
2. Shampoo hair regularly. This helps reduce oils and grime that seep down into the face.
3. Avoid picking at face blemishes. Picking and scratching aggravates the skin and opens it to infection and scarring.
4. Eat a balanced diet. This is always important, but dairy in particular is known to increase acne severity, so limiting its consumption can help.
5. Relieve stress. Stress plays a role in worsening acne. While stress is unavoidable and often essential during the teen years, recovery through relaxing activities is important to reduce the impact stress has on skin health.

Also be mindful of any medications your teenager takes that contain hormones, corticosteroids, or lithium, as they can increase sebum production.

Why Teen Acne Needs Medical-Grade Care

Acne is not only painful, uncomfortable, and blemishing, but treating it improperly or not at all can also lead to an unhappy teenage life for your child. The bad news? Acne can seriously take a toll on mental health. There is a high correlation between acne and low self-esteem, poor body image, social withdrawal, and depression in teens.  Aside from the emotional distress, acne can cause permanent, disfiguring scars if picked at or left untreated. Many people suffering from acne scars experience a continued decrease in quality of life and self-image even into adulthood. No child deserves that future. The good news? Medical professionals have the tools to fix acne at the root cause. Our board-certified physicians and providers at Inertia Medical are here to help your teen say goodbye to acne for good. 

Treatments for Teen Acne

Fortunately, even scarring can be reversed—more importantly, without surgery. For acne itself, chemical peels involve applying a chemical layer to the skin and then removing it along with the top layers of skin so that healthier, smoother skin can regrow. Laser treatments like BBL Forever Clear and BBL Hero are non-invasive, fast, and comfortable methods of rejuvenating and smoothing damaged or irritated skin. Here in Tampa, we offer all these treatments at Inertia, including AviClear—a laser skin treatment specifically for acne. This is the first and only FDA-approved laser that’s powerful, safe, and medication free for both adolescents and adults. Keep in mind, 

Invest in Your Teen’s Skincare Sooner, not Later

The earlier acne is treated, the better the outcome will be for your teenager both now and in adulthood. If your child is struggling with acne, contact us at Inertia Tampa to set up a consultation and start reclaiming your teen’s health, happiness, and self-esteem.