Acne and your teen by Kim Hill

[Kim Hill]

Almost 95% of the teenagers suffer from teenage acne at some point or other, regardless of color, sex, etc. So if your teen is one of them, they are definitely not alone. Teenage acne is due to the release of hormones during puberty. The hormones lead to the release of sebum from the sebaceous glands. This gets clogged in pores and promotes the growth of bacteria. This causes swelling and redness accompanied by pus.
People with oily skin will have severe acne when compared to those with dry skin. In teens, it usually develops around the nose and then spreads to the cheeks, chin and forehead. Since males produce more hormones than females at this time, acne is worse among boys. One good thing is that teenage acne will not get worse by eating chocolates or oily food but a good diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can certainly help. Most teens have a habit of touching their faces to see how the acne is doing. This is a bad practice and can introduce dirt and bacteria onto the skin.
In teenagers, this is not only a physical problem but also an emotional one. Acne can affect a teens self esteem and confidence. Since boys are less likely to talk about their skin problem and seek help, it can tend to get worse in boys than girls. One of the easy ways to control it is by keeping your face clean. Don't forget to wash before bed and use an astringent and a toner if necessary. Don't use apricot or any such harsh scrubs to exfoliate as your skin is very young and delicate.
Since they look bad on the face, most teens have the habit of popping them. If this is done with dirty hands, it can introduce infection making the condition worse. If you have a blackhead extractor at home, that will do a better job but be careful you may scar the tissue, an esthetician could help to extract these pustules and teach your teen some skin care tips. If you have to use make up, choose one that says 'Does not clog pores'. Never used oil based products.
Teenagers should be told that all treatments will take time to show a result so skipping from one product to another will not help. Using more than the amount they are advised to use to speed up the healing can make the condition worse. Acne is curable and if you can't control it within a few weeks by yourself seek the help of an esthetician if he or she cannot help they will refer you to a dermatologist.
Kim Hill is a medically trained esthetician and may be able to help you. [phone]