This post will be sharing the most effective skincare routine for teens.
If there’s one enquiry I get every week on my Facebook group, it is how to treat acne in pre-teens and teens.
If you have kids around that age bracket (10 – 19), I’m sure that somewhere at the back of your mind, you have started to worry about pimples and blackheads.
Especially if you’re still trying to fix your personal skincare struggles.
If you’re a worried parent who is not quite sure how to navigate the world of teenage acne, then this post is for you.
I’ll try to simplify the most effective skincare routine for teens.
Acne is mostly inevitable.
If you don’t get it as a teenager, for some reason, it catches up with you as an adult.
The most important thing is to treat it correctly and prevent acne scars, which can be a pain to get rid of.
It is also important to prevent it from becoming severe, which usually has a negative effect on an individual’s self-esteem.
So, the earlier you begin to notice signs of mild to moderate acne, get it treated as soon as possible.
Stages of Acne
Before going further into the best products and routines for treating acne, we need to understand the different stages of acne.
This will help us understand when to stop over-the-counter products and seek medical supervision.
Yes, acne can get so bad – particularly in teenagers – that it will require antibiotics.
Without getting too technical, there are four stages of acne. They are;
- Mild
- Moderate
- Moderately Severe
- Severe
This is a super useful chart that breaks down the differences between all four stages of acne.
While I would have loved to attach visuals, it might be too triggering for some people, but you can check out the different stages of acne here.
What’s so important about knowing these, you might ask?
As I mentioned earlier, it’s not all stages of acne that can be treated with drugstore products.
There’s only so far the products can go before you visit a dermatologist.
Also, it saves you the stress of buying and testing products that might not even work for you.
The Best Topical Treatments for Acne
I’m sure you’re familiar with some of these ingredients, but let’s dive into them briefly and determine what stage of acne they are most effective for.
Salicylic Acid
– For Mild Acne
Also known as a Beta Hydroxy Acid and possibly the most popular drugstore product used to treat mild acne,
Salicylic Acid penetrates the layers of the skin into the pores to clarify the dirt, dead skin cells and excess oils that manifest as pimples.
For this reason, it is super effective at 2% to treat mild acne.
Unfortunately, there’s only so much Salicylic Acid can do.
Also, some people are allergic to Salicylic Acid.
So, you must pay attention to how your teen’s skin reacts to it.
You also need to be able to figure out when it’s working or not or when your skin simply doesn’t agree with it.
Benzoyl Peroxide
– For Mild, Moderate, Moderately Severe and Severe Acne
Unlike Salicylic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide is a stronger older sister that is mostly recommended to treat all stages of acne.
If you had to visit a dermatologist for acne, you’d most likely be prescribed Benzoyl Peroxide with a Retinoid or other Topical Antibiotics, as they are more effective when used together.
While Salicylic Acid penetrates the pores to get rid of the dirt and grime, Benzoyl Peroxide kills the bacteria that cause acne.
It literally uproots the entire problem.
This makes it more effective in the long run.
If you are trying over-the-counter Benzoyl Peroxide before visiting a dermatologist, make sure you start from the lowest percentage of 2.5% to reduce the chances of irritation and dryness.
Benzoyl Peroxide is available in 2.5%, 5% and 10%.
Retinoid
– For Mild, Moderate, Moderately Severe and Severe Acne
The industry standard for treating acne is Retinoids, the most effective being Adapalene 0.1%.
I’m sure you’ve seen or heard about the Differin or La Roche Posay brands of Adapalene.
Thankfully, Adapalene can be purchased over the counter without a prescription.
So, it is worth trying out at home.
If you are trying out Adapalene for your teenager, make sure you follow the instructions and use a pea-sized amount of product once a day.
Topical Antibiotics
– For Mild to Moderately Severe
After going through over-the-counter products with no results, it’s best to see a dermatologist for antibiotics before the acne becomes severe.
You’ll typically be prescribed either Clindamycin or Erythromycin, depending on the severity of your teen’s acne.
At this point, it is best to strictly follow your doctor’s order for results.
You don’t want to be juggling drugstore products with prescriptions unless it has been recommended,
Oral Antibiotics
– For Moderate to Severe Acne
Hopefully, your teen’s acne doesn’t get severe, but if it does, you need medical supervision as soon as possible.
You’ll most likely be prescribed the following oral antibiotics, including Isotretinoin, Tetracyclines or Erythromycin with or without Benzoyl Peroxide and/or Adapalene.
Again, follow your dermatologist’s instructions as strictly as possible to treat and manage the acne as effectively as possible.
If you would like to learn further about the root causes of acne, how your lifestyle might be triggering acne in your family and how to keep it away completely, my friend Cheryl Woodman; a Scientist and Skin Health Expert will help you navigate these acne waters through her Acne Warrior program. Click Here to enroll.
The Best Skincare Routine For Teens With Mild – Moderate Acne
Now that we know the most effective treatments for acne, let’s slot them into a simple and easy teen routine.
You don’t want too many layers with too many products that will discourage them from being consistent.
It’s important to note that this routine targets teens with mild to moderate acne.
If the acne has increased in severity in a really short time, please visit a dermatologist.
AM Routine for Mild – Moderate Acne
- Cleanse with a Salicylic Acid Cleanser – for mild acne
OR
- Cleanse with a Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser – for moderate acne
- Moisturize & Protect with a Moisturizing SPF
PM Routine for Mild – Moderate Acne
Now that we have gotten an AM skincare routine for teens out of the way let’s try and create a PM Routine.
If you can get your teen to follow up with a PM Routine, kudos.
Otherwise, just make sure they are doing one solid routine daily consistently.
- Cleanse with a Foaming Cleanser
- Treat with Adapalene 0.1%
- Moisturize with a lightweight lotion
- Acne-prone skin can be either oily or dry, so you can choose a moisturizer based on your teen’s skin type. Check out the following recommendations below:
- 12 Best Drugstore Moisturizers For Oily Skin
- 12 Best Face Moisturizers For Dry Skin
In Conclusion,
I hope you have found this post on the most effective skincare routine for teens with mild to moderate acne helpful.
I’ve tried to simplify the routines as much as possible to minimize dryness and irritation.
Thank you. I would also love if you could do a breakdown like this for the retinoids/retinol like tretinoin, adapalene, e.t.c. and which one is best for someone with moderately severe acne and hyperpigmentation.