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Teenage spots (acne) are NOT infectious and will often disappear by mid 20’s. Spots can start at any age but are very common amongst teenagers and 95% of young people between 11-30 can be affected to some degree.
In girls they often occur around 14-17 years old and can often become worse around the time of your period. In boys often occur around 16-19 years old. Often, they can run in families-so if both parents had them the chances are that you will too. There is no evidence to suggest that poor diet, poor hygiene, or sexual activity increase the chances of getting teenage spots. Often you can get spots on the chest and back areas it does not just affect the face
Usually this is because of hormones during puberty. Acne is caused when the tiny holes in the skin (hair follicles) become blocked with an oily substance called sebum and dead skin cells, which then forms bacteria and causes a plug in the hair follicle. This can result in a white pus-filled spot, a blackhead spot, cysts or a redden lump under the skin which can be painful to touch.
