Acne in teens.  Recently,  I saw a tween for a knee injury.  Upon completion of the visit I asked him how his skin was doing.  His mom energetically piped in that his current skin condition was good for him and that she was concerned that his acne would “bloom” like his older sister.  (She had needed Accutane to control her acne.)

Acne is common and seemingly relentless.  Washing with soap and water twice daily helps keep the face clean.  Patting the face dry with a towel (instead of scrubbing) helps to not rough up the skin.    Many over the counter acne compounds contain benzoyl peroxide.  This is first-line therapy for acne.  If acne persists, then other topical agents can be used: retinoids (like Retin A) or antibiotics (erythromycin or clindamycin).  If those do not work,then antibiotics by mouth may be used.  As a last resort Accutane can be used.  Accutane has its own challenges and risks.

I encourage you to ask your doctor to help with skin care.  Being a kid is hard enough without eye-catching acne.