if he's going to be susceptable to acne then a short, sharp course of oxytetracyclene will do the job very effectively. the doctor can also prescribe antibiotic gel for him to use. from my own,and my sons, experience, none of the stuff you can buy at the chemist will do any good. he may need a course of antibiotics whenever he has a flare up, but they do work and he'll feel so much better when the spots are gone, bad acne can have a devastating affect on a persons life.