Teen Acne

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Back to school season always comes with a mix of emotions: excitement, nerves, stress… And as if being a teenager wasn’t hard enough already, acne and uncooperative skin can really take a toll on self-confidence. Adolescent skin is notoriously hormonal, unbalanced and stressed out. Acne prone teens are particularly self-conscious about showing up on their first day with a new breakout to show their friends and classmates.

After a summer full of sweaty pool parties, limited-shower sleep away camps and vacations that didn’t include a 5-step skincare routine, teen skin can feel clogged and neglected by the time the first day of school rolls around.

Melissa Fox and her team of aestheticians at Flawless have treating teen acne down to a tried and true system that has hundreds of clear faces showing up for the first day of school every year. In this article, we’ll breakdown Melissa’s top Teen Acne Skincare Products to help you and your teen face middle and high school with confidence and clarity.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Thorough Cleanse

It can be hard to get your teen to actually wash their face twice a day, let alone do it properly, for at least 60 seconds with cool water and pat try with a clean towel. But Melissa Fox can’t stress enough the importance of a thorough cleanse when it comes to clearing teen acne: “After a full day of school and sports, sweat and oil buildup create a film of dirt and grime that suffocates the skin and feeds acne bacteria, creating a breeding ground for more breakouts. A thorough cleanse is essential for starting to treat acne.”

We recommend a double cleanse in the evening to breakthrough oil buildup, dirt and sweat. Begin with an oil cleanser such as Cosmedix Purity Solution to breakdown oil-based sunscreen, makeup, and sebum buildup.

Follow with a gel based cleanser to deep cleanse the skin. Wash for at least 60 seconds using cool water and be sure to clean around the hairline and ears, where fungal acne can thrive due to sweat and oil buildup. We love Face Reality Ultra Gentle Cleanser because of its gentle yet thorough cleansing agents and antioxidants.

If your teen suffers from closed comedones (those small, pebble-like bumps that can come in clusters on the forehead, cheeks and chin), we recommend adding in an exfoliating scrub such as Vivant Skincare Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser twice a week to help break up the top layer of dead skin, allowing those clogs to come to the surface and clear out.

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Exfoliate with Mandelic Acid

The second step in your teen acne routine should be an exfoliant suitable for your skin type and acne severity. Here at Flawless, we love Mandelic acid because it’s an alpha-hydroxy acid that uniquely penetrates the pores and kills bacteria, reduces inflammation and inhibits pigmentation to prevent post-acne marks. If your teen suffers from just the occasional pimple and blackheads on the nose, we recommend a mild exfoliating toner such as Vivant Skincare 3% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner. 

For more moderate breakouts, opt for 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum. We recommend applying a thin layer evenly all over the face in the evenings for two weeks. If minimal to no irritation occurs, you can amp it up to twice daily.

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Hydration is Essential

Even oily skin teens need to hydrate their skin, especially when using clinical skincare to treat their acne. Over drying the skin can send oil production into overdrive, ultimately causing more breakouts and clogged pores.

For oily skin, opt for an aloe-based gel such as Vivant Skincare Totaloe Calming Gel for lightweight hydration. For dryer skin types, we love Allantoin Hydrating Lotion. This lightweight lotion deeply hydrates and calms the skin and absorbs quickly without feeling greasy.

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Treat Cystic Breakouts

For those painful, red cystic breakouts that seem to take weeks to go away and always leave a mark, targeted antibacterial treatments are necessary. Two that we love? Face Reality Sulfur Spot Treatment and Vivant Skincare BP 10% Gel.

Sulfur is a gentle antibacterial and antifungal ingredient that helps dry up oil and reduce red, inflamed breakouts. Sulfur Spot Treatment is a great choice for more sensitive skin and is less likely to cause irritation than benzoyl peroxide.

For resistant skin and cystic breakouts that come in clusters, we recommend trying 10% BP Gel. Benzoyl peroxide is a proven acne fighter that helps to dramatically reduce inflammation and kill acne bacteria.

We recommend applying a thin layer all over to avoid over-drying one spot in particular.

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Consistency is Key

Ultimately, clearing acne takes patience and consistency. Flawless skin is absolutely attainable, so get started right away! Our Flawless aestheticians are always available to consult on your routine and offer support and advice along the way.

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