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Teens and Acne


All of us who are adults have suffered through the insecurities of our own teenage years. Remember standing in front of the mirror and mentally listing everything that was less than perfect (in your opinion) about your appearance. In my case,

I always thought I was too short,my eyes were too big for my face, and my hair had a will of its own — and that was before I even got to the acne.I wondered is their an acne treatment teens can rely on .

Teenagers are so self-critical. Their bodies are changing and maturing — and usually faster than their emotional ability to handle the changes can keep up. Being a teenager is tough enough without having acne.

Teens look at the posters of their idols that they have plastered on the walls of their room and determine that they do not measure up, and simply never will. It IS tough.

So the question is, what can we, as the adults in their world, do to help? In a word — dermatologist! There are treatments today for teenage acne that can help keep the acne under control. There is no cure for acne except time.

Most teenagers will simply outgrow acne by the time they are in their early 20s. But we can smooth the way for them by taking them to a dermatologist and getting treatment for their acne.

Now, regardless of what your teenager tells you, one zit does not constitute a full-blown case of acne. The occasional zit shouldn't be a concern. Most teenagers, about 95%, will have acne. Most of those cases are mild and don't really require any treatment other than over-the-counter medications.

Best acne products for teens

However, if your teenager's acne can't be described as "mild," take him or her to a dermatologist and get treatment. Acne can be the cause of all kinds of disorders like depression, eating disorders, self-isolation, or social anxiety. Treating the acne can help prevent more serious problems. What are some of the best acne treatment for teens

Acne Basics

Dealing with acne is not any fun at all. Teenagers have enough problems with self-image as it is, and when a bad case of acne is added, a lot of other much more serious problems can develop: depression, self isolation, etc.

It's easier and much better for the teenager if the acne is treated before other problems have time to materialize. Take the teen to see a dermatologist ASAP! Parents can help teens to help themselves, though.

There are two important things that teenagers can do to help themselves — with your guidance.

1. The first is adequate and correct facial cleansing. So many times teens think that scrubbing their faces really hard will help to get rid of the acne. That is so far from the truth. The fact is that hard scrubbing can actually contribute to the problem. Hard scrubbing can stimulate the sebaceous glands that then produce more sebum, which then causes MORE zits to form.

To cleanse the face and body acne correctly, ditch the wash rag. A mild soap (preferably one for acne) is worked into lather in the hands and applied to the face. A gentle circular motion is used to clean the face.

The face is then rinsed several times with water. The next step is to pat (NOT RUB) the skin dry. A clean towel should be used for ever facial cleansing. A moisturizer and/or acne medication is then applied. Facial cleansing needs to be done twice a day — at least!

2. The second thing that a teenager can do to help fight acne is to eat a diet that is conducive to healthy skin. The usual American teenager's diet does not qualify. Here is a place where the teen is going to require the help of a parent.

A diet that will help to produce healthy, acne-free skin is one that is loaded with fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and whole grains. Adding a daily multivitamin can also help provide a nice alternative to costly acne medication.


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