Dr Bernadette Carr: Dealing with acne in teenage years

My 16-year-old daughter has a couple of small patches of acne on her face. This has just happened recently and she is very self-conscious and embarrassed. Should she try some over-the-counter preparations?

Most teenagers suffer from acne at some stage and it is very common. Acne develops when the small sebaceous glands in the skin which make the oil sebum start to produce more oil and these glands get blocked.

Some may be inflamed and bleed. This happens as a result of changes in hormone levels at puberty.