Teenage Acne Solutions | Teenage Acne 101
Welcome to a journey towards clearer, healthier skin! Whether you are dealing with occasional breakouts or consistent blemishes popping up, you are not alone in facing the challenges of teenage acne. Dr. Mona shares the science behind teenage acne solutions and some recommended treatment options.
What are the common causes of Teenage Acne?
There are multiple causes of teenage acne, ranging from bacteria, clogged pores, and hormonal changes. During puberty, our body undergoes many changes, one of which is that our sebaceous (oil) glands get bigger and secrete more oil. As a result, the increased oil production mixes with the cells of the hair follicle, creating a plug that we see as a white head or black head. Acne can be aggravated by bacteria, but did you know there is a specific bacteria called Acnes, that our body produces that causes acne to get more red and inflamed? Those inflamed whiteheads or blackheads can become more inflamed and go deeper into your skin, creating deeper cystic lesions.
What can help with Teenage Acne?
At Mona Dermatology, we offer many treatment options for acne concerns. The first thing we do is look at what type of acne you have. If you only have comedonal acne (lots of whiteheads and blackheads) we may recommend gentle exfoliation with glycolic or salicylic acids. You can pair it with over-the-counter retinol or prescription such as Retin-A, Differin, or Tazorac cream. These will help normalize your skin and treat the black or white head. Do you sweat or wear makeup? Make sure you are washing your face because sweat and makeup are a common cause of pore blockage, causing breakouts. If you struggle with inflammatory acne, we will want to target the bacteria component such as. Benzoyl peroxide, a topical antibiotic, or an oral antibiotic. Acne can also be hormonal, especially if you get breakouts along your jawline or neck. Birth control and spironolactone are two ways to help target hormonal acne breakouts. Make sure it is not a progesterone-only birth control since this can oftentimes make your acne worse. Finally, if you cannot get your acne under control with the above methods. If you have been dealing with acne for a long time, oral isotretinoin, or Accutane, may be right for you. Accutane targets and shrinks your oil gland to normalize oil production. This is a very effective way to treat acne, this should only be prescribed by a qualified health professional who can help manage risks and side effects.
How should you wash your face?
Patients believe when you have acne you want to dry everything out, but in reality, you don’t want to over-dry your skin. If you are too dry your body will produce more oil, therefor you still want a healthy amount of oil on your skin. When you produce more oil on your skin it can cause you to break out more. Dr. Mona recommends a gentle cleanser and a lightweight moisturizer that doesn’t block your pores. Lastly, don’t forget your sunscreen! If you experience breakouts, the sun can make any marks you have from acne get darker and last longer. So don’t forget a lightweight broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Click the image below to watch Dr. Mona share the causes of teenage acne and her top tips for treating it.