Acne Information for Teens

Acne is NOT your fault. It is now understood that genetics play a role in acne. If your parents had acne as a teen, most likely you will, too. The good news is there are lots of things you can do to survive acne.

Fight Back

The goal of acne therapy is to help get rid of the lesions that are present. Topical retinoids, like Differin^®, are the only class of drugs proven to not only treat those lesions that are present but also prevent the formation of new lesions. Differin^® helps to prevent the pores from becoming clogged in the first place. Sometimes antibiotics or benzoyl peroxide may be prescribed to help control the bacteria that may be growing inside your pores. During the first few weeks of treatment, itching, dryness, redness, burning or peeling may occur. Exposure to sunlight, including sunlamps, should be minimized during the use of Differin^®. Use of sunscreen and protective clothing over treated areas is recommended when exposure cannot be avoided. As with other acne medications, overexposure to extreme wind or cold, or use of irritating skin care products may aggravate the skin.

Tips for Surviving Acne

Talk to your parents. While they may not fully understand how acne is bothering you, your parents do want to help you. But you need to level with them about how acne is making you feel at school, in your personal and social lives. Cleanse your face regularly with a mild, non-soap cleanser, but not too often. Cleansing will not prevent acne from occurring. The pores become clogged deep beneath the skin and cleansing cannot wash this away. And cleansing more than twice a day can irritate your skin, causing more breakouts. NEVER squeeze, pick or pinch acne pimples or use sharp objects on them. This will only contribute to infection, inflammation and scarring. If you use cosmetics or moisturizers, be sure they are "non-comedogenic" or "non-acnegenic." See a dermatologist. It's not scary. A dermatologist will evaluate your skin and may prescribe treatments for you. If you don't already have one, use the "Find a Dermatologist" tool at the bottom of this screen to find a dermatologist in your area. Just enter the first three digits of your ZIP code, then click "Go." It's easy to use!

What causes acne? And how do you get rid of it? Explore Acne Basics to find out how it starts and how you can prevent it.

Differin^® (adapalene) Gel and Cream, 0.1%, are topical formulations specifically designed for different skin types to help eliminate and control mild to moderate acne. See for yourself – check out our Before & After photos of patients who have used Differin^®.

In addition to effectively clearing pimples and unclogging your pores, Differin^® is less irritating than many other anti-acne medications. Studies have shown that patients using Differin^® experienced fewer problems with the stinging, burning, peeling and skin redness that has caused patients using other adapalene medications to stop before achieving successful treatment. During the first few weeks of treatment, itching, dryness, redness, burning or peeling may occur. Exposure to sunlight, including sunlamps, should be minimized during the use of Differin^®. Use of sunscreen and protective clothing over treated areas is recommended when exposure cannot be avoided. As with other acne medications, overexposure to extreme wind or cold or use of irritating skin care products may aggravate the skin. Talk to your doctor if these effects become bothersome.

Before you begin any skin care treatment, you should always talk to your dermatologist or other physician. If you don't have a dermatologist and need to find one in your area, the "Find a Dermatologist" tool at the bottom of this screen can help you. Just enter the first three digits of your ZIP code, then click "Go." It's easy to use!