Acne

When To Call

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Spreading red area around the acne with fever
• Spreading red area or streak that's very large
• Your child looks or acts very sick

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Spreading red area or streak around the acne, but no fever
• You think your child needs to be seen

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Tender red lumps that are large occur
• Yellow soft scab that drains pus or gets bigger occurs
• After treating with Benzoyl Peroxide (BP) for 2 months, acne not improved
• BP makes the face itchy or swollen
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Mild acne

Care Advice

What You Should Know About Acne:

• More than 90% of teenagers have some acne. Acne is a normal part of the teen years.
• There is no medicine at this time that will cure acne.
• However, good skin care can keep acne under control and at a mild level.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Benzoyl Peroxide Gel:

• Benzoyl Peroxide (BP) is the best OTC medicine for bringing acne under control. Use a Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5% gel product (such as the store brand). OTC means no prescription is needed.
• It helps to open pimples and to unplug blackheads. It also kills bacteria.
• Apply the lotion once a day at bedtime to the area with acne. Redheads and blonds should apply it every other day for the first 2 weeks. Reason: more sensitive skin.
• Use an amount of lotion the size of a pea. This should be enough to cover most of the acne.
• If the skin becomes red or peels, use less of it. Other option: You can use it less often.
• Caution: avoid the corners of the eyes, nose and mouth. Reason: these areas are very sensitive.
• Caution: Benzoyl Peroxide bleaches clothing, towels, blankets, etc. Apply it only at bedtime and put it on sparingly. Use a plain white pillowcase.

Antibiotics for Red Bumps:

• Large red bumps mean the infection has spread beyond the oil gland. If you have several red bumps, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic.
• Antibiotics come as solutions for the skin or as pills.
• The antibiotic will kill the bacteria that are causing the infection.
• Give the antibiotic as directed.

Washing the Face:

• Wash your skin twice a day. The most important time to wash is bedtime. Just use warm water or you can use a mild soap (such as Dove).
• Shampoo your hair daily.
• Avoid scrubbing your skin. Reason: hard scrubbing of the skin irritates the openings of the oil glands. This causes them to close off even more tightly.

Pimple Opening:

• Opening (popping) pimples is not advised by many doctors. But, most teens and adults do it anyway.
• So, here's how to open a pimple safely without any squeezing.
• Never open a pimple before it has come to a head.
• Wash your face and hands first.
• Use a sterile needle (cleaned with rubbing alcohol). Nick the surface of the yellow pimple with the tip of the needle. The pus should run out without squeezing.
• Wipe away the pus and wash the area with soap and water.
• Opening small pimples in this way will not cause skin damage.

Avoid Picking or Squeezing Acne:

• Many young people pick at their acne when they are not thinking about it. Picking makes acne worse.
• Try not to touch the face at all during the day.
• Squeezing blackheads causes bleeding into the skin. The bleeding turns into brownish blotches on the skin. They can take 1 or 2 months to fade.
• Squeezing red lumps can force bacteria into the skin. This too leaves blotches. It can also cause a serious face infection.

Prevention - Avoid Triggers of Acne:

• Avoid putting any oily or greasy substances on your face. Reason: They block oil glands and make acne worse. If you use cosmetics, use water-based cosmetics.
• Avoid hair tonics or hair creams (especially greasy ones). When you sweat, they will get on the face and irritate the acne.

What to Expect:

• With treatment, new whiteheads and blackheads will decrease. But, it takes 6 to 8 weeks.
• Acne usually lasts until age 20 or 25.
• So, you will need to continue the treatment for several years.
• You don't need to worry about scarring. It is very rare for acne to leave any scars.

Call Your Doctor If:

• With treatment, the acne has not improved after 2 months
• It looks infected (large, red, tender bumps)
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

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Photos

Baby Acne

This shows baby acne on the cheeks and side of the face. There are red and white raised bumps.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
From the Dr. William Weston Collection of Pediatric Dermatology. Used with permission.