Six Strategies for Taming Teenage Acne

4. Remove the triggers

Is your teen applying something to his face that is triggering or worsening his acne? Sunscreens, should be non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic and provide broad spectrum sun protection; good choices from your dermatologist include DermaTopix and SkinMedica sunscreens, and ColoreScience Sunforgettable, a brush-on chemical-free mineral sunscreen that is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. Neutrogena and Aveeno facial sunscreens are available from your drugstore.

Sports helmets and other headgear can also promote acne, by trapping perspiration and blocking pores in the areas of skin that they cover. If your teen is shaving, it's better to wet-shave than to use an electric razor, and to shave only in the direction of hair growth, even though this gives a less close shave than moving the razor in different directions. Ask your dermatologist about a medicated shave cream such as Topix Glycolix Shave Cream. Make-up (see "Cover the Wounds" below) should also be noncomedogenic and hypoallergenic. Stress is often a trigger for acne; de-stressing with plenty of sleep, a healthy diet, regular exercise and relaxation often works wonders.

5. Cover the wounds

For many acne sufferers, it's empowering to be able to cover up the acne and to go about your daily activities without being defined or judged by your skin. I recommend ColoreScience mineral make-up to my female patients and even to some of my male ones; it's light enough to provide good, long-lasting skin coverage that is virtually unnoticeable. ColoreScience is a medical-grade mineral make-up, available from doctors' offices, that is compatible with prescription acne therapy and may even improve acne in some cases due to the anti-inflammatory effect of its ingredients. It definitely improves social lives and self-esteem for patients like 15-year-old Megan, whose quick cover-up with ColoreScience enabled her to attend and fully enjoy a school dance this spring, instead of staying home alone as she did last year.

And there's another advantage: when pimples are camouflaged there is less temptation to pick at them, which increases the rate of healing and decreases the risk of scarring. If you opt for a drugstore make-up, steer clear of those that are misleadingly labeled "mineral" even though they contain oils, preservatives and other undesirable ingredients. Instead, look for a water-based, non-comedogenic foundation such as Neutrogena.

6. Add procedures

Ask your dermatologist about new in-office procedures for acne, such as DermaSweep MD, a multi-step crystal-free microdermabrasion system that painlessly exfoliates, extracts whiteheads and blackheads and then infuses your skin with acne-fighting salicylic and glycolic acid. I find that DermaSweep MD treatment is much more effective for acne and scarring than traditional microdermabrasion. It also has the advantage of being aluminum-free.

Acne lasers such as the Palomar Lux V target and kill the bacteria whose overgrowth causes acne. Another option is the Vitalize chemical peel, an effective combination of fruit acids that improves acne and scarring. Facials are not just for girls any more; both teenage boys and girls can benefit from steaming and extractions performed in a medical setting by a licensed aesthetician. If your teen has already developed significant scarring, you may consider treatment with new fractional lasers such as the Fraxel Repair or Palomar Lux 1540, which stimulate collagen formation in the skin, to dramatically improve scars with little or no down time.