How To Treat Subclinical Acne: 7 Tips From Derms + What Causes Those Bumps

Here's one that people often misunderstand: subclinical acne. Let's unpack what this subgroup really means, what it looks like, and how to treat the pesky bumps. 

And while this type of acne can crop up anywhere you have pores, Rodney says they tend to appear on the forehead, chin, and nose (where people tend to accrue the most oil), as well as the chest, back, or shoulders. 

Subclinical acne has a slew of causes (they're simply clogged pores, which can happen for many, many reasons), but here are a few common culprits: 

Considering subclinical acne can lead to inflammatory pustules down the line, it's important to get a leg up on treatment. Plus, a cluster of comedones can cause textural issues, like bumpy, uneven skin.

King seconds the advice: "It exfoliates the surface of the skin and penetrates into pores to remove oil. This helps to prevent pores from becoming clogged and can help remove clogs that have already formed." Slather on a cleanser, mask, or leave-on treatment with the BHA—just be mindful not to overexfoliate, as this can cause those bumps to form.  

Or you could opt for benzoyl peroxide, which can kill acne-causing bacteria and help break up pore-clogging agents, like dead skin cells. That said, it's like a one-two punch for inflammatory acne (your angry pustules, cysts, and pimples) as well as comedonal acne (like blackheads or subclinical acne). Again, you can find benzoyl peroxide in a number of skin care products, from cleansers to treatments (check out our picks here). 

"Topical retinoids have a comedolytic effect, meaning that they help to prevent and treat clogged pores1," King explains. "This is because they increase the turnover of skin cells and reduce the tendency of cells and keratin debris to clump together." You'll need to consult a derm for a prescription-strength product, or you can snag an OTC retinol (here are our favorites).

It may take a bit of detective work to decipher which products you should probably avoid, but it's certainly something to keep in mind. Don't forget about makeup and hair care products, too! 

On that note, keep makeup and sweat from clogging your pores by remembering to cleanse each night (perhaps a double cleanse if you're wearing a full face) and after your workouts. Remember to tend to oft-forgotten areas, like the hairline, to keep those pores from becoming clogged. 

It's always helpful to see a professional who can I.D. your bumps and give you a more targeted plan of action. Plus, says Rodney, a derm can offer more medical-strength treatments, like a chemical peel or microdermabrasion, to help unclog all that debris. 

As tempting as it may be to pop or squeeze the comedones, do try to keep finicky fingers at bay. "[Picking] prolongs healing time and increases the risk for inflammation, infection, scarring, and discoloration," says King, making the irritated hair follicles only look more raised. Again, you may want to see a derm who can safely perform extractions. 

Subclinical acne is really just another way to describe clogged pores before they become inflamed, just like whiteheads, sebum plugs, and closed comedones. And while it can have a host of causes (the most common being heavy, comedogenic products and genetics), there's a lot you can do to manage this acne subgroup.