I see a lot of teens in my treatment room and they all complain about acne and breakouts. I always know the ones that will listen to my suggestions and follow my advice vs the ones that will still do their own thing mixed in with my help. I do what I can and always hope for the best.
Sometimes what I recommend the first time may not work or it may not be strong enough which is why communication is so important. Instead of deciding to change it yourself, it is important to talk to me (or whoever is treating you) and let them know your concerns. It may be something simple but when you make the decision it becomes more difficult to figure out what went wrong. Mixing and matching your routine just doesn’t work.
Honesty and consistency is vital. I don’t think people are deciding to just lie to me, but I do think they leave out information. It makes it difficult to properly treat the situation and more than likely, the problem will not go away. Self-treating wasn’t working and that is why the client came to me, right?

Patience is something else people need to have when it comes to teen acne. It is not something, for the most part, that goes away in a month. It takes time. Hormones are raging! I can’t control those but I can help with better skin. I will always be honest though. If I don’t see any improvement, I will say that. For each person that has followed my advice, has seen improvement though. Their skin gets healthier. Breakouts don’t always go away because, remember, hormones cannot be controlled on my end. And I am also not a fan of acne meds except for more extreme cases. I definitely don’t think it should be the go-to treatment but rather a last resort.
This is what results look like when YOU want results. It takes time each morning and night (not a lot) and a few other things depending on your lifestyle but if your skin is effecting your self-esteem, it should be worth it, right?