While acne can affect people of any age, the most common time for outbreaks are the teen years, starting around the age of 11. When your child develops chronic acne, it’s usually due to hormonal changes causing an overproduction of natural skin oils mixing with skin cells to plug pores.
The key to successful treatment is often persistence, in finding both the right products to help as well as regular applications as directed. Dr 2 Kids, Smita Tandon MD is your partner in acne management of your child’s chronic condition.
Sebum is a naturally oily substance that’s produced by glands in the skin to add a protective layer over the surface of the body. During hormonal events, it’s common for a child’s body to overproduce sebum, particularly in the adolescent years.
On its own, excess sebum could likely be controlled with washing. However, surface skin continually renews itself, sloughing off dead cells as new cells grow in.
These dead cells form a sticky substance when combined with excess sebum and together, these can plug hair follicles, creating the various forms of acne blemishes.
The skin is also home to forms of bacteria that can also mix with the sebum and skin cell mixture. Sometimes, this can cause inflamed acne blemishes that include red bumps that can be tender or painful. The redness indicates the presence of bacterial infection.
Blemishes that aren’t infected are either whiteheads when the follicle is enclosed, or blackheads when the follicle is open and exposed to air. These types of blemishes, called comedones, generally don’t cause pain.
The “don’ts” of acne care are important to know and to share with your child. Acne doesn’t result from personal hygiene issues like not washing their face enough. In fact, washing too much or too aggressively can make acne worse.
Scrubbing the skin with excessive pressure or with rough cloths don’t help either, since the problem is beneath the skin’s surface. Picking, pinching, or popping acne blemishes is more likely to spread the condition than relieve it.
Properly treating chronic acne focuses on killing bacteria and reducing oil production. There are a number of medications and acne care products, so finding the right approach is the first place to start.
This is where Dr. Tandon and her team can help. Your child’s acne could require a combination of approaches to address the significant issues presented by their acne. Typically, we approach chronic acne with a multifaceted approach using medications like:
We’ll show both you and your child how to use the recommended products, including an effective routine for washing. We’re also here for follow-up care and to monitor your child’s progress.
Contact Dr 2 Kids, Smita Tandon MD, your acne specialist in Fountainview, California, to start an effective acne management plan. Book your appointment by phone or online today.
