Last updated on October 9, 2020
Question:
Hi, I’m 18.5 months old and I’m wanting to ask a question about acne. I started experiencing my first major breakouts last fall, but it’s just gotten gradually worse from thereon. My diet is very varied; however, it contains a lot of dairy. I’m in very good shape and stay active throughout the week. I’d like to know why I’ve suddenly experienced acne. When developing acne, does it mean I’m very near the end of my growth in height? What could I do to minimize the number of spots that appear on my face?
My Tanner stage is around 4.3-4.4.
Answer:
One of the unfortunate realities of adolescence is the development of acne. There are two things occurring that causes people to be more prone to acne during the latter parts of development. Because you are bigger, your skin has been growing rapidly to cover your increased size. This also means your skin is shedding old cells faster than in the past. At the same time, your oil glands that keep your skin flexible are working overtime. Unfortunately, the glands too often produce too much oil. The mixture of excess oil and dead cells tend to block the pores, causing oil to back up under the skin. Then bacteria, which are having a feast on the oil and dead skin cells, also get trapped under the blockages causing the red bumps indicating an infection.
Acne becomes most noticeable during stage 4 and then fades in stage 5. There are a number of things you can do to minimize the number of pimples you get. See: What are the best natural ways to get rid of acne?