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Teen Acne Treatment
Teen acne is by far the most common acne in the world, and almost
100% of teens will get at least one small bout of acne during adolescence.
Although we usually associate teenage acne with facial acne and
blackheads
and white heads, the reality is that teens can suffer from mild
acne to cystic
acne on the face, scalp, back, chest and legs – virtually
their entire body. Fortunately there are myriad of teen acne treatments
available, targeted specifically for teens and hormonal acne.
Why Teens Get Acne
When teenagers go through puberty, their bodies produce excess hormones.
These hormones, besides causing moodiness, sensitivities, new hair
growth and body growth spurts, stimulate various glands throughout
the body. The sebaceous gland, which is responsible for producing
sebum (an oil that is used throughout the body for skin repair,
tear creation and many other processes), is also stimulated and
start to overproduce the oil. The excess oil it produces comes up
through the skin’s pores and secretes onto the skin. As a
result, teens going through puberty tend to have oily skin, some
of course more than others. When the oils mix with dead skin cells
and other debris that is on the surface of the skin, it can start
to clog pores and follicles. This blockage is the perfect breeding
ground for P. Acnes, the acne causing bacteria. Once the bacterium
is present in the pores, the immune system sends white blood cells
to the area, which causes inflammation and results in raised comedones,
or pimples. If your parents had acne as teenagers, or suffer from
adult
acne, your chances of getting teenage acne are much higher.
Psychological Effect
Although it is common knowledge that most teens can and will get
acne, acne is still joked about, particularly in the teen age group.
Stress is a major trigger for acne flare-ups, and when a teen is
bugged or picked on about their acne condition, stress can actually
make the problem worse, leading to more ridicule. It is important
to speak to your teen (daughter, son, friend, etc) about acne and
to be proactive in helping them understand that acne is a natural
occurrence and acne treatment is easily available. Just as there
are psychological effects for those with acne, there is just as
big of a positive effect for teens that have been successful in
treating their teenage acne.
Teen Acne Treatment
Teenage acne treatment products are available in abundance everywhere.
Among the most popular are Neutrogena, Clearasil, ProActiv
Acne Solution and the Zeno
Acne Treatment device. If you are a teen looking to control
or eradicate your acne, talk to your friends about what acne treatments
they have used. Talk to your doctor about what types of products
(active ingredients) will be right for your type of acne and skin
type. Start a regular acne
skin care routine, with light cleansing, and follow it every
day. Remember, drastic measures are not usually necessary in treating
teen acne – in most cases the acne will disappear when you
pass puberty. If you feel drastic acne treatments are necessary,
talk to your doctor first to make sure that it is safe for you.
Nutrition
Many teenagers believe that acne is a direct result of uncleanliness
or of eating ‘junk’ food. This is, of course, a myth.
Eating junk food does not cause acne. People who are fastidiously
clean can still get acne, as they cannot control sebum secretion.
Despite junk food not playing a role, nutrition in general plays
a huge part in acne control. Making sure you eat right and get all
of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs means that your skin
will be healthy and hydrated and better equipped to fight off the
P. Acnes bacteria. People who also practice good eating habits tend
to be less stressed, which can help control an acne problem.
