As a parent of a teenager who may be experiencing acne you probably are in good position to help. Since acne is a condition that is relatively common, you probably experienced acne yourself. As a parent you are your child's first line of support and advice on treatment of acne.

Being adults we know that this acne condition will eventually go away. However for your teenage children who are suffering the embarrassment of acne, they may not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We as parents need to be supportive, but we also need to be your teen's information source and advice giver on how to treat teen acne.

We as parents can help our children by learning about the various types of acne and acne treatment. Having this knowledge at our disposal, enables us to help our teenagers make the appropriate decisions concerning acne medications or whether or not it is advisable to visit a dermatologist.

Keep in mind though, that just because you may have had acne as a teenager, this does not make you an expert. Over the years there have been new methods and new acne medicines made available to help bring the most common acne conditions under control.

Since the time you were a teenager, a new variety of approaches have been developed, so being informed about what type of acne treatments are available will help you and your teenager best decide the correct course of action.

Consultation with a dermatologist is never a bad idea for any abnormal skin condition. The blemishes that may appear on the skin of your teenager is most likely acne. However there are other abnormal skin conditions that resemble acne. A visit with your dermatologist will provide you with a correct diagnosis as well as suggestions on treatment options available.

Speaking with your teen concerning their acne may be a bit uncomfortable. This may be because your teen is embarrassed by the way her face appears. Although we are sure that you best know how to approach the subject with your child, a supportive and understanding attitude works best.

You want to be sure that you don't accuse your teen of actions you feel may contribute to the devleopment of acne - the myths surrounding chocolate or oily foods causing acne have been proven to be not true.

More than likely, you're a teen is trying to do everything he knows to try to control his acne. Even if he doesn't want to discuss his acne condition, most likely it is one of his major concerns. This is because these acne condition will affect his self-esteem, self image, and sociability. In the most severe of cases, your teen's acne condition may lead to a feeling of depression and withdrawal.

You need to make your teen aware that you are available and are willing to help her with her acne condition. Talking with your teenager about your own experiences with acne can't hurt and certainly might help. Speaking with your teen will let her know that her acne condition can be conquered.

Remind your teen, small comfort that it may be for them, that most teenagers at one time or another, suffer from acne. Estimates are that up to 85% of teenagers have acne. It is also estimated that upwards of 40% of teens suffer from acne that is bad enough to require treatment by a dermatologist.

If your teen does not meet with much success after trying various over-the-counter acne medications, try to encourage him to allow you to take him to visit a dermatologist. Dermatologist advice for acne prevention and treatment can be invaluable.

A few of the medical treatments that are available through a dermatologist are oral acne medicines, physical treatments, lotions, ointments, or acne gels which your teen will apply directly on the acne.

These prescribed acne treatments will help to clear up your child's acne at the same time providing relief from the physical discomfort.

Remind your teen that her acne will not last forever. As she gets older her acne should go away. By the time she reaches her early 20s if not sooner, her acne should be nothing more than a distant memory.