Navigating Tween Acne

Dermatologists say more than 80 percent of us deal with pimples and oily skin during adolescence, and I was definitely part of that majority. The proof lives on in a handful of unfortunate yearbook photos, thankfully taken before the internet became a permanent archive.

Now, it looks like my daughter might be following in my footsteps. The good news? Today’s tweens have a lot more tools to help them, from genuinely helpful content and great skincare products to dermatologist-backed treatments. Of course, not all the advice out there is sound.

Many of us have seen the ‘Sephora Kid’ TikTok videos showcasing the elaborate skincare routines of kids who might not even be old enough to stay home alone. If you’re a parent of a tween who’s curious about this trend and you’re unsure how to respond, don’t despair.

Dermatologists actually see a silver lining: it’s a great opportunity to start a conversation with your child about healthy skin. “You know, I think it’s interesting that more and more kids are starting earlier. It is important to provide information when they’re young, so that they can get the right information,” says dermatologist Dr. Renita Ahluwalia.

Tween skin and the onset of puberty

Pre-adolescence, or what we refer to as the tween years, is roughly the ages between nine and 12. This marks the beginning of puberty and comes with a range of physical and hormonal changes, including growth spurts, body hair, and, you guessed it, acne.

“Before your hormones regulate, during puberty, you get different surges of androgens that can lead to changes in the skin. What that can lead to for a lot of kids is oilier skin. This is very normal. Most pre-teens and teens experience some degree of acne at some time,” says Dr. Ahluwalia. 

What is acne? 

Acne happens when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells.

Common blemishes include:

• Blackheads and whiteheads
• Papules and pustules (pimples)
• Cysts and nodules (deeper, often more painful)

Can tween or teen acne be prevented? 

For the vast majority of tweens and teens, once they reach a certain point in development, changes in hormones and their bodies are a fact of life. Whether or not a child develops oily skin or acne isn’t something they can control. It’s simply a normal part of this stage of life.

“With acne, the big causes are genetics, hormones, oil levels on the skin and stress. And something called keratinization, which has to do with the way our cells turn over. The only component we can control might be stress, and it is often underappreciated how mental health is connected to skin health,” says Dr. Annie Liu, dermatologist and co-founder of DermCafe, an OHIP-covered online dermatology clinic in Canada. Though she does say it’s never too early to strive for healthy skin.. 

Dr. Liu acknowledges that many people create posts and videos online stating that certain foods and even pillowcases are the driving forces behind the appearance of acne. However, she reinforces that tween, teen, and even adult acne can be an unavoidable part of being a healthy young person. She lets her patients know that there is nobody to blame for it, and it might be something one cannot fully overcome, but that doesn’t mean you're doomed. 

Skincare routines to treat tween acne

Dr. Ahluwalia suggests finding products with gentle concentrations of active ingredients to help regulate oil and minor blemishes. For example, have your tween start using cleansers with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, followed by a non-comedogenic moisturizer. 

Here’s a basic routine:

Cleanse (morning and night)

• Use a gentle cleanser with or without salicylic acid (0.5%–2%) to help remove oil and dirt.
• If your tween is active in sports or sweats a lot, cleansing after physical activity is a must.

Moisturize

• Look for non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) moisturizers.
• Even oily skin needs moisture—hydrated skin is less likely to overproduce oil.

Sun protection

• Apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning, especially if your child is using active ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

Other helpful habits

• Use micellar water to remove makeup gently.
• Wash pillowcases and face towels regularly.
• Avoid harsh scrubs or exfoliants that can irritate sensitive tween skin.

CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser; Marcelle Foaming Gel Cleanser; Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser

Tip: The Canadian Dermatology Association offers a list of products recognized by its Skin Health Program. These products are fragrance-free or unscented, allergen-free, gentle on skin, and won't clog pores.

Spot treatments for breakouts

Spot treatments are helpful tools for dealing with the occasional breakout. They target individual pimples rather than the whole face, helping to dry them out and reduce inflammation quickly.

Here’s what parents and tweens should know:

Apply only to active breakouts

• Use a clean finger or cotton swab to dab the treatment directly on pimples, not on the entire face.
• More product won’t work faster. Overuse can lead to redness, dryness, and irritation.
• Spot treatments are usually most effective when used in the evening after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Choose the right active ingredients

• Salicylic acid (1–2%): Helps unclog pores and reduce swelling.
• Benzoyl peroxide (2.5–5%): Kills acne-causing bacteria.

CeraVe Acne Control Gel; Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne Solution; Vichy Normaderm Anti-Acne Spot Treatment.

Picking pimples makes things worse

As tempting as it can be—because who likes looking at a white head?—picking pimples almost always makes things worse. Plus, squeezing or scratching acne can push bacteria deeper into the skin. This can lead to more acne, infection and scars.

Kids might think they’re helping, but it’s important to teach them that hands off is the fastest way to heal.

• Popping a pimple can cause long-term damage, even if it looks better at first.
• Use a spot treatment instead and let it work gradually.
• Keep your hands clean and avoid touching your face during the day.
• Try using pimple patches to act as a physical barrier.

Why online skincare advice can be misleading 

You can find a ‘solution’ online to almost any problem. And, as is the case with most tweens and teens, they’ve frequently got the internet in their pockets. The broader societal issue aside, it’s crucial to keep the skin care conversation with your tween going. 

“I had a scenario with one of my patients recently where a parent came into the clinic with their son, who was overwhelmed by information on social media. They’d spent hundreds of dollars on products to address sebaceous filaments that were making their skin worse. So, we had a sort of counselling session,” explained Dr. Liu. She explained that there are many false claims online, including that sunscreen causes cancer, which is untrue and downright dangerous. 

How to help your tween find reliable information

With the changing parent-child relationship in the tween and teen years, it’s worth highlighting gently and persistently to your child the significance of thinking critically about sources of information. If even adults struggle to separate fact from fiction online, it's no surprise that tweens have trouble telling what's credible.

A good rule of thumb? Follower count doesn't equate to expertise. Only take advice from doctors, including dermatologists, online.

When to see a doctor

If, as a parent, you notice that over-the-counter treatments aren’t effective for your child, an appointment with a dermatologist is the next port of call. This is an important step because, depending on the severity, it can cause scarring, discolouration, as well as emotional and psychological distress. So, the earlier you start treatment, the better.

“You deserve the best of care. Even if it’s a small pimple, others might not understand what that means to you. So, if you’re worried, have concerns and things just aren’t getting better, seek out that personalized care,” says Dr. Liu. 

Clinically speaking, if there are signs of scarring on your tween or teen's face or body, like divots in the skin or anything that looks permanent and deep and is not healing properly, then that would be a sign to book an appointment with a doctor pretty quickly.

Dr. Ahluwalia adds, “If they have nodular cystic acne, then that’s not something any kind of topical regimen can treat. And if it’s on multiple sites, like the chest or back, then those individuals would benefit from systemic therapy as well.”

The bottom line

Ultimately, the main message I’ll be imparting to my daughter regarding skincare is to keep things simple and consistent and to remind her that nearly everyone gets acne at some point in their lives. The advice to tweens is to enjoy the self-care involved in multi-step regimens, if that’s what you love, but know that they are not a necessity in solid skincare practices. So, kiddo, wash your face, moisturize and protect your skin. Your future self will thank you.

Experts

• Dr. Renita Ahluwalia is a dermatologist with the Canadian Dermatology Centre
• Dr. Annie Liu is a dermatologist and the co-founder of DermCafe