While acne is a normal part of growing up, it doesn’t make it any less embarrassing for teens to navigate, especially during those sensitive high school years when everyone wants to look their best. In fact, visible skin concerns can prompt intense distress and cause low self-esteem which only fuels the breakout cycle. And with acne affecting approximately 85% of teens and young adults, it’s clear—young people are struggling.¹ Here are some ways to help your teen manage acne and go back to school feeling good in their skin.
Tips to Help Manage or Eliminate Acne
Establish a Skincare Routine
The importance of a daily skincare routine can’t be stressed enough. When kids hit puberty, there’s an increase in sex hormones, called androgens, which cause oil glands to become overactive and produce too much oil, or sebum. This results in blocked pores and an overgrowth of bacteria.² For teens dealing with acne, give them a simple skincare routine that focuses on the basics: a cleanser, acne treatment gel, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
Choose a Good Acne Cleanser
When choosing a face wash, look for a gentle yet effective acne cleanser that contains beneficial ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides. If your teen’s acne consists of whiteheads and blackheads, try using a cleanser with 2% salicylic acid to help clear acne, reduce blackheads, and improve the appearance of pores. We offer an array of effective acne solutions and can help customize a skincare routine that’s right for your teen.
Follow a Healthy Diet
Contrary to what most people believe, acne is not caused by chocolate, fried foods, candies, or anything else in a teenager’s usual diet. Instead, it’s the increase in hormone levels mentioned above. However, findings from several small studies suggest that following a low-glycemic diet may reduce the amount of acne. Low-glycemic foods include most fresh vegetables, some fresh fruits, beans, and steel-cut oats.
Scientists believe that following a low-glycemic diet may reduce acne because this diet eliminates spikes in your blood sugar. When your blood sugar spikes, it causes inflammation throughout your body. These spikes also cause your body to make more sebum. Both inflammation and excess sebum can lead to acne.³
Stay Hydrated
Remind your teen to refill their water bottle throughout the day. Dry skin can trigger excess oil production, which can contribute to acne. Drinking water helps prevent acne by promoting proper skin hydration. Several studies have found that upping your water intake may help keep your skin soft and smooth when used alongside a moisturizer and other skincare products.⁴
Avoid Touching the Face
Touching the face can spread bacteria that cause pores to become inflamed and irritated. Which leads to another skin rule—do NOT pick at problem areas. Rely on spot treatments and pimple patches to help combat zits ready to peak. Remind your teen to wash their hands before applying skincare or makeup and to avoid leaning their face on objects that collect sebum and skin residue—ahem, cell phone.
Use Acne-Friendly Makeup
Some cosmetics can clog pores and make acne worse. Non-comedogenic cosmetics are products that contain ingredients that won’t clog or block the pores, or don’t create comedones (a type of acne blemish), on the skin. Look for products that specify oil-free or non-comedogenic on the label. Keep in mind that just because a product is labeled non-comedogenic does not mean it won’t clog pores—it’s just less likely to do so. Your teen might have to try different non-comedogenic products to find the right ones for them.
Stress Management
“Stress and anxiety trigger your body’s production of cortisol, a hormone that can also cause your body to produce more sebum, which can clog pores and lead to acne,” explains Vickie Baker, MD, a family medicine doctor who specializes in dermatology. Teach your teen healthy ways to cope—meditation, writing, exercise, and good sleep can help them manage their mental health.
Greenwich Medical Spa Acne Clinic
Sign your teen up for our GMS Acne Clinic and let us help. We have a 90% acne-free success rate within 3-4 months and are here to support your teen (and you) every step of the way. We start with an in-depth consultation, discuss a custom treatment plan, and recommend the right products for your teen’s particular type of acne. Every two weeks, we see your teen for checkups. We will also take lifestyle, diet, and makeup into consideration and create a personalized treatment plan to target their specific acne.
Treatments for Acne Scarring
Even when acne clears, some people develop acne scarring. We offer several treatments to reduce the appearance of scarring and promote the growth of new collagen.
Microneedling for Acne Scars
By creating controlled micro-injuries in the skin, Microneedling stimulates the body’s natural healing response and promotes the production of new collagen and elastin. This increased collagen can help improve the texture and appearance of acne scars over time. Microneedling is recommended by the American Association of Dermatology for depressed acne scars where there is a loss of tissue as a result of acne scarring.
Laser Resurfacing
Laser treatment for acne scars focuses light on the top layers of your skin to break up scar tissue while simultaneously encouraging new, healthy skin cells to grow and replace the scar tissue. While this treatment doesn’t completely remove acne scars, it can reduce their appearance. Your treatment plan will depend on the number and size of scars being treated. No downtime is required.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels improve the appearance of acne scars by using a chemical solution to remove the outer layer of old skin. This non-invasive treatment accelerates the rate of exfoliation and skin cell renewal by removing dead skin cells, unclogging pores, and stimulating the production of new collagen. We offer several chemical peels and will recommend the best one for your skin type.
¹ Rebecca A. Clay. The link between skin and psychology. February 2015. Source
² Teens and Acne. WebMd. February 2023. Source
³ Can the right diet get rid of acne? American Academy of Dermatology Association. Source
⁴ Rachael Ajmera. Healthline. Does drinking water help with Acne? November 2019. Source
5 The best acne treatments for teens. Cleveland Clinic. November 2022. Source
