Why Your Teen Has Acne and How to Help

Most teens will experience acne to some degree. Unfortunately some teens get it worse than others. If your son or daughter has acne you know how difficult this can be. Acne can make a teen very self-conscious. It can also be very tricky to clear up! Before I give you some tips on how to help your teen, let’s talk about all things teen acne!

What causes teen acne?

Acne in general is caused by a combination of oil, bacteria, and debris, With that in mind, you’d think that a good cleansing routine would be enough to clear up acne, right? Wrong. The human body is complex and there are other factors that can trigger an acne break out. When it comes to teen acne, changing hormones can definitely be a trigger. WebMD had a great explanation for what is going on in the body:
For most people, acne is an inherited condition of the pores. When someone is prone to acne, their pores clog with dead skin cells much faster than normal. Healthy pores shed about one layer of dead skin cells per day inside the pore, but acne-prone pores shed up to five layers of dead skin cells per day. The body just can’t keep up with keeping the pore clear. Technically, this is called “retention hyperkeratosis” — dead skin cells shedding more quickly than the pore can expel them.

The increased production of sebum can clog pores, which ultimately causes acne.

Why do some teens get acne worse than others?

It is unclear why some teens get acne worse than others. With that said, genetics, medications and even makeup can all impact a teen’s skin. Foods can also impact teen acne. Many people believe that eating chocolate or greasy foods can lead to acne. While these foods CAN be triggers for acne, it isn’t always the case. It may not be chocolate specifically but rather dairy that is causing the problem.

How can you help your teen?

For starters, one of the best ways to help your teen is to be sympathetic to their situation. While your first instinct may be to say “it’s not that bad” or down play how bad it is, that is not what they need to hear. They need to hear you’re in their corner and can help!

Next, schedule a consultation with me to learn about how I use the Face Reality program. Face Reality attacks acne from multiple angles. Using a combination of in-studio treatments and at-home products, I can customize an acne treatment program specific to your teen and their skin.

In addition to the treatments and products, I will also help you and your teen identify what might be a trigger for their acne. There are a number of things that may be causing your teen’s acne that you’re not even thinking of! We’ll work together to identify potential causes and get on a regime that clears up their skin.