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If you're almost a teen, chances are pretty good that you have some acne. About 8 in 10 preteens and teens have acne, along with many adults. In fact, about 17 million people in the United States have acne. Acne is so common that it's considered a normal part of growing from a kid to an adult.




If a pore gets clogged up, closes, and bulges out from the skin, that's a whitehead. If a pore clogs up but stays open, the top surface can get dark and you're left with a blackhead. Sometimes the walls of the pore are broken, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to get under the skin. This causes a small, red infection called a pimple. Clogged-up pores that open up deep in the skin can lead to bigger infections known as cysts.

Why Do So Many Kids Get Acne?


If your parent had acne as a teen, it's likely that you will, too. Stress may make acne worse, because when you're stressed, your pores may make more sebum. Luckily, for most people acne gets better by the time they're in their twenties.

What Can I Do About Acne?

If you're worried about acne, here are some ways to keep pimples away:

  • If you wear makeup, moisturizer, or sunscreen, make sure they are "oil-free," "noncomedogenic," or "nonacnegenic."
  • Wash your face after you've been exercising and sweating a lot.
  • Try not to touch your face.
  • Don't pick, squeeze, or pop pimples.


When you use a product for acne, be sure to follow the directions exactly. Don't use more than you're supposed to because this can make your skin very red and very dry. It's also good to try just a little bit at first to be sure that you're not allergic to the product. Don't give up if you don't see results the next day. Acne medicine can take weeks or months to work.

What If I Get Pimples Anyway?


Even if you get acne, you don't want to make it worse. That's why it's important to keep your hands off your pimples. Try not to touch, squeeze, or pick at a pimple. When you play around with pimples, you can cause even more inflammation by poking at them or opening them up. Plus, the oil from your hands can't help! The worst part, though, is that picking at pimples may lead to scars on your face.

Some people will tell you that sitting out in the sun helps acne. But this isn't true. A suntan can make acne look less severe by hiding pimples, but it won't help them go away. And too much sun isn't a good idea anyway because it can give you a sunburn today and wrinkles and skin cancer later in life.


If you have acne, now you know some ways to improve your skin. And remember that you're not alone. Look around at your friends and you'll see that most kids and teens are in it together!

Reviewed by: Patrice Hyde, MD
Date reviewed: June 2014