Acne Specialist

What causes acne?

Acne is a skin condition that often affects teenagers but can happen to anyone regardless of age. It’s often recognized by a large area of the face and sometimes the torso covered in pimples or nodules that can result in scarring. 

But what causes this condition? Acne is the direct result of clogged hair follicles on your child’s face. The follicles become overrun with oil and dead skin cells, leading to inflammation in that area of skin. 

Your child is so prone to acne because of the over-stimulation of their oil glands, especially when they hit puberty. However, acne also has a genetic factor, meaning if you had acne, your child’s more likely to suffer from it.

While acne often affects your child’s face, it can affect other areas of their body as well. Your child’s chest, shoulders, and upper part of their back are areas that are prone to this condition.

How do you know if it’s acne?

Acne can present differently from one teen to another, depending on the severity of the condition. However, there are several common signs of acne that you can look out for on your child, including:

• Blackheads, or open clogged pores
• Whiteheads, or closed clogged pores
• Red, painful bumps called papules
• Pimples, or papules with pus at the head
• Painful, large nodules underneath the skin

Your child may also experience cystic lesions if they have acne. These lesions are painful lumps that lie under your child’s skin. They’re often filled with pus, making them uncomfortable and embarrassing for your teen.

Are there treatments that can help?

When your child has acne, you want to find a safe and effective treatment for their skin.

The team at Academy Park Pediatrics may first recommend over-the-counter and prescription topical products and oral antibiotics. In the event that the acne does not improve with routine treatment and/or is severe enough, they may also prescribe Accutane® if desired.

Accutane is a medication used to treat moderate to severe cases of acne in your child. It’s derived from vitamin A and often clears your child’s acne in as little as five months of use.

However, Accutane does come with some hefty side effects, so it’s important to discuss these with the team before deciding on it for your child. 

The practice takes extreme diligence with this medication and participates in the iPledge® Program for safe use of Accutane. This program runs a computerized risk assessment to determine if the drug is right for your child and explains all of the risks associated with it.

Call the office today or request an appointment online to learn more about Accutane for acne.