Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Using over-the-counter treatments
• Method 2 of 2: Treat stubborn or severe forms
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

About 85% of all teens face acne of varying degrees. Contrary to popular belief, no link has been found between diet and acne. The real cause is hormonal changes in teens, which produce extra sebum or sebum. Most of these cases are standard and can be resolved with a daily wash regimen that combats the extra sebum. But some cases can be severe or persistent enough to warrant an appointment with the dermatologist.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Using over-the-counter treatments

1. Keep your hair clean. This step is especially important for teens with long hair. Oily hair or hair products that are in constant contact with your face can help clog your pores. Even those with short hair can see pimples around the hairline from oily hair or hair products. Make sure your hair is washed regularly.
2. Wash twice a day. One of the main causes of pimples is increased sebum production due to hormonal changes. Washing your face once a day can still leave oil behind to clog pores. Instead, wash once in the morning and once in the evening with warm water and a mild oil-free cleanser.
   • Use clean fingertips and not a washcloth to wash your face.
   • Do not use normal soap or shower gel. Always use a gentle scrub specially formulated for facial skin.
   • Don't wash too often. Washing the face more than twice a day can dry out the skin, which basically causes the sebaceous glands to produce extra and thus make acne worse.
   • With a daily regimen, it can take anywhere from four to eight weeks for noticeable improvement.
3. Use over-the-counter medication. Depending on the severity of your acne, you should use an over-the-counter remedy once or twice a day. The two most commonly used over-the-counter remedies are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
   • Over the counter products can be found in the form of gels, lotions, creams, soaps, and pads. Gels and creams are good for topical treatment or problem areas, while pads, soaps and lotions are more commonly used all over the face.
   • In addition to cleaning the pores, these agents also have a mild antibacterial effect, which reduces the acne-causing p. acnes makes bacteria difficult.
   • Products with benzoyl peroxide are usually a 2.5% solution and products with salicylic acid are usually a 2% solution.
4. Apply a moisturizer. Since the first wash and the over-the-counter remedies can dry out your skin, you will need to add a moisturizer to your daily regimen. A standard lotion can contain oils that also clog your pores, so look for an oil-free moisturizer that is non-comedogenic. That word simply means that the product will not cause acne or clog pores.
   • If you are applying a daytime moisturizer, then you should look for one that also has an SPF of 30.
5. Use cosmetics that are non-comedogenic. While some cosmetics such as eye makeup and lipstick are unlikely to cause acne problems, others such as blush and foundation can clog pores and aggravate acne. Make sure any makeup you put on other parts of your face is non-comedogenic, meaning they won't clog pores. All major brands offer such products, so they will be easy to find.
   • Mineral-based makeup powders can also cause or aggravate acne, so these too should be avoided.

Method 2 of 2: Treat stubborn or severe forms

1. Seek advice from a dermatologist. If you have stubborn acne that doesn't respond to the first method, or you have severe cystic acne, you should consider seeing a dermatologist who can prescribe other medications for you.
2. Ask about birth control. In many women, certain contraceptives can help regulate acne-causing hormones. Since hormones are the original cause of acne, regulating these hormones can lead to fewer outbreaks.
3. Ask about antibiotics to treat acne. Oral antibiotics can reduce the amount of the p. acnes bacteria on your skin, which can reduce inflammation. Oral or topical antibiotics can be one of the first treatments a dermatologist recommends for stubborn acne.
   • Antibiotic treatments will usually consist of daily doses for four to six months. By then they will be phased out gradually.
4. Ask for other local options with a doctor's prescription. In addition to certain topical antibiotics, a dermatologist may prescribe other topical medications. This can range from prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide to azelaic acid or tazarotene.
   • Most of these remedies are designed to reduce acne-related skin damage and inflammation.
5. Ask about isotretinoin. Isotretinoin is one of the most effective acne treatments available. But it is also the medication with some of the most serious side effects, and use is closely monitored. Isotretinoin actually shrinks the sebaceous glands, causing them to produce less sebum.
   • Side effects of isotretinoin include an increased risk of depression, and it has also been linked to birth defects, so pregnant women will not be prescribed this drug.
   • The drug is usually taken once or twice a day for sixteen to twenty weeks with results that are often permanent.

Tips

• Do not use regular lotion as a moisturizer. It can also clog pores, make sure to use something specifically for your face.
• Because a cleansing regimen only shows significant improvement after a few weeks, you will have to stick with it and be patient.
• Do not use any soap as a cleaner. Hand soap and regular soap blocks will clog pores and make acne worse.
• Make sure to clean your face shortly after exercising, or after any other activities that could lead to clogged pores from sweating.
• Do not pick or squeeze pimples. In addition to causing inflammation, you can also spread acne-causing bacteria.
• Don't go to sleep with makeup on. Make sure to wash your face with water and use facial wipes.
• When you wash your face, always put cold water on it when you are done. This will close the pores and stop bacteria or pathogens from entering the pores.

Warnings

• Use of isotretinoin should always be carefully monitored. Women at risk of becoming pregnant should not take this medicine, and anyone who starts to feel symptoms of depression while taking it should contact a dermatologist immediately.

Necessities

• You will need a mild cleanser. It doesn't have to be a cleanser that specifically treats acne. As long as it suits your skin type (oily, dry, normal, sensitive, etc.) it will work.
• A topical treatment such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
• Moisturizer