The Best Teen Acne Skincare + Support

Acne can be an absolute confidence killer as a teenager. And when you're facing stubborn, persistent breakouts that just won't clear up, it can be frustrating and stressful.

At The Acne Lab, we understand the struggle of teen acne. We help teens clear up their acne, and we teach them how to care for their skin and build habits and strategies for clear skin for the teen years and beyond.

13+ Years of Acne Expertise

3000+ Happy Clients with Clear Skin

Proven Prescription-Free Strategy

teen used the best acne treatment to get rid of acne

“My son struggled with acne this past year and it was really starting to affect his confidence.
The team at The Acne Lab was so kind and understanding, providing a treatment plan that worked quickly and effectively.
Seeing his smile and confidence return has been the greatest gift, and we’re so grateful for their help!.."

Christy V.

acne experts in Lafayette, CO helped this teen girl clear up her acne and get glowing skin

“The Acne Lab has helped my skin tremendously.
My face was constantly dry and hurt to even wash or touch it. I was very insecure with how I looked. After going through the process my skin got significantly better even after doing the most basic steps that they provided.
It took time and patience, but you just have to trust the process... Forever grateful for the transformation.”

Maya N.

teen boy with acne got clear skin with acne treatments

“I had no idea my skin could feel so smooth, after using the products and getting the treatments I now notice how smooth it is to touch and I love that!”

Clay B.

teen boy cleared up his cystic acne with the best acne treatment in Lafayette, CO

“Lookin Good n’ Feelin' Good!…The difference in my skin from Freshman year until my Grad pics is AMAZING!”

Ashton F.

There's hope for clear skin

Talk to Our Acne Experts

At The Acne Lab, teens can achieve healthy, clear skin.

Your teen will get expert guidance and compassionate support as they heal and transform their skin. Our proven system has given thousands of clients confidence and long-lasting healthy, clear skin.

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Why Do Teens Get Acne?

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about teen acne. Why do some teens have clear skin while others struggle with acne?

It’s common to blame diet, skincare habits, or hormones. But those are just things that INFLUENCE acne.

The real cause of acne is GENETICS.

Acne-prone teens have an inherited predisposition for what we call “sticky skin” (the technical term is Retention Hyperkeratosis).

Acne Prone Teens Have Inherited "Sticky Skin"

“Sticky skin” builds up in hair follicles because skin cells are shedding faster than the follicle can clear it out, causing the extra skin cells and oils to build into a plug.
Plugs take 3-4 months of build-up before they become acne.
ALL acne is a 3-4 month build-up of sticky skin before it shows up on the skin as pimples (inflamed/red/cystic) and/or blackheads (not inflamed/rough texture but not red).
During the teen years, hormones and lifestyle (see below) create a cocktail of inflammation that trigger acne in teens who are already genetically predisposed.

Because acne is inherited, it can’t be cured. However, acne-prone teens CAN get healthy, clear skin with The Acne Lab’s proven skin care strategy.

How Hormones + Lifestyle Influence Teen Acne

Hormones

Hormones can be a big influencer of acne as teens go through puberty.

When certain hormones increase, it causes pores to produce more oil. This excess oil can mix with dead skin cells and clog pores, creating a recipe for acne.

Hormone fluctuation can also trigger inflammation, making acne worse.

Diet

It’s fair to say that teens don’t always have the best diets. They eat a lot of processed and fast foods that are known to cause inflammation in the body.

But, just like the other influences listed here, food does not cause your teen to have acne. But, what teens eat can help reduce or increase inflammation and acne.

For some teens, we recommend diet changes or supplements that aid in digestion and can help reduce the skin’s reactions to inflammation.

Stress

Stress is often a trigger for acne flare-ups in teens.

Teens experience a lot of stress, including school, social life, jobs, and planning for post-graduation. They also have to manage times of acute stress (finals, death or divorce in the family, illness, etc.).

In response to stress, our bodies produce inflammatory hormones that stimulate the oil glands and hair follicles in the skin. This creates a cycle of inflammation with bacteria on our skin and triggers breakouts.

Image of a bottle and brush showing how skincare products can be a cause of acne if they have pore cloggers in them.

Hair Products, Skincare, & Makeup

Ingredients matter for teens with acne-prone skin.

Some products (especially typical teen acne skincare products) can leave skin dry, itchy, red, or flakey. When skin gets irritated, it increases oil production to protect and heal itself, but that also can trigger acne.

Products with pore-clogging ingredients also can trigger acne. If your teen has acne-prone skin, avoid pore-cloggers. You can use our Pore Clogger Checker to see if a product is safe for acne-prone skin.

Makeup is a major influencer in acne. There are no solutions for acne if makeup isn’t also acne-safe. The only 100% safe type of makeup are pure, loose minerals.

Medications

Some medications have a side effect of acne for teens. If you suspect that a medicine is triggering acne or making it worse, your teen would continue taking the medication — but talk with the doctor who prescribed it. Ask if acne is a possible side effect and if there are any alternatives that still address the reasons for the medication but might have less stress on their skin.

If medications are influencing acne, following the Clear Skin Rules will be a good first step. Choosing anti-inflammatory diet/supplement strategies are often equally important to get the best results.

before and after of teen acne in Lafayette, CO

before and after of teen cystic acne in Lafayette, CO

Before and after photos of a teen girl with red pimples and then after acne support and skincare

best treatment for acne and bumps on forehead

teen's honest review of cystic acne treatment that worked

Frequently asked questions

When does teen acne stop?

This is going to vary based on the person. Many teens see their challenges with acne decrease as their hormones level out, usually around their early twenties. But acne an be managed really well and you can have clear skin with the right tools and techniques (which we teach at The Acne Lab).

How does The Acne Lab work?

The Acne Lab offers several levels of support for teens. Some just need a Learning Facial or a virtual consultation with an Acne Expert if they have minimal acne.

For teens on Accutane, we offer a healing and hydrating skincare routine for the harsh Accutane side effects.

But for teens that want a prescription-free strategy for their acne, we recommend either our in-person or virtual acne program. You'll start with our Skincare 101 routine and then meet with our acne experts each month to customize your routine with active ingredients designed for your acne type until you're clear.

Why is my acne so much worse than my friends?

We know how frustrating it is when you're struggling with breakouts no matter what you try and your friend who doesn't have a skincare routine and eats junk food has glowing skin. But because acne is genetic, you have to deal with the cards you've been given. We can teach you how to get clear and love your skin again. You just may have to do things differently than your friends.

I don't live near Lafayette, CO. Can The Ance Lab still help me?

Absolutely! We help teens across the U.S. with our Virtual Acne Program, where you get regular online support from an Acne Expert until you've graduated with clear skin!

Should I come to your Lafayette, CO office for acne facials?

If you live within an hour of our office, we do recommend you choose our in-person acne program, where you get an acne facial once a month. When you pair proper daily habits with acne facials, you get faster results.

What skincare products do you recommend for teen acne?

We recommend that all teens who are struggling with persistent breakouts start with our Skincare 101 routine. This 5-step routine is the foundation for clear skin. It heals, hydrates, and protects skin.

Then, you can work with our Acne Experts to create a custom plan that includes products with active ingredients to clear and prevent acne.

What if I'm Accutane? Can you still help me?

We can help whether you want to soothe your skin of Accutane side effects or want to to stop taking Accutane. We offer a prescription-free strategy, as well as support for teens on Accutane.