Teenage acne
By: Mary GoodsTotal Views: 92, Word Count: 572,
Teenage acne is one of the most common problems faced by young people between the ages of 13-19 and in most of the cases; this skin problem persists till the person reaches the age of 25 years. Teenage acne just adds to the set of troubles that already despair young people.
Till the age of 12 or so, children find their skins flawless and bright. But as soon as they near their teens, they undergo myriad puberty changes. Sprouting of beard, cracking and changing of voice in teenage boys. While teenage girls face other changes such as onset of menstruation etc. But one factor remains common is all: teenage acne.
What causes teenage acne?
The onset of puberty and related changes mark the beginning of teen years. Your body gets a surge of hormones that mould you from boy or girl to a man or woman ready for the reproductive phase of life and capable of bearing children.
· Hormonal changes
Puberty is all about hormones. There is feverish activity of hormones in both boys and girls. This raises the testosterone levels in males and females alike. This hormone enlarges the skin pores and also stimulates the sebaceous gland that start to rapidly produce the sebum. This oily substance hence, converts the till-now “baby faced” boy/girl into an oily faced teenager!
· Over-production of sebum
When there is overproduction of sebum, the skin pores are unable to naturally cleanse them off. As a result, the pores get clogged along with skin cells and bacterial debris that readily inflammate the pores. Soon the unblemished face of the child yields to a rough oily acne prone and pimple-filled visage of a growing teenager!
Acne problem in teenagers
This problem of acne forces many teenagers to be shy and avoid even attending schools and colleges. They spend most of the time in front of the mirrors either counting the break-outs or trying to pop the zits out! Soon teenagers are found to be anxious about their pimples. After all, they wanted to look as attractive as possible, especially to the opposite sex, and now end up with blemishes all over their faces!
How to prevent pimples in teenagers?
· Teenagers must be encouraged to develop good habits of cleanliness and hygiene. Excessive washing of face also should be avoided as they may cause drying up the skin. This would cause over-production of pimples!
· Teenagers must take a diet rich in fruits and salads as minerals such as zinc and vitamins are known to control acne.
· They may be encouraged to use medicated acne face washes, acne gels and acne skin creams so that the excess sebum is dried away from the acne and new outbreaks are prevented.
· Over-the-counter skin creams that contain salicylic acids and benzoyl peroxides can be used to dry away the acne and heal the scars.
· Teenagers must avoid greasy skin creams that might block the skin pores and just aggravate the pimple problem.
· Mud packs and acne face packs can be applied on the face to control the problem.
· Diet free of chocolates, fries and sugars must be avoided as they might just trigger the natural oils of the body and cause more acne!
The best way of tackling teenage acne is to explain that acne is a part of life and can be considerably reduced if teenagers follow a good skin care regimen.
About the Author
Mary Goods is a researcher in skin problems and their treatments. She is currently involved in the study of acne, their causes and how to effectively treat them. She is also involved in publishing a series of papers dealing with the effect of acne and pimple scars on the behavior of teenagers. She recommends topical application of skin creams to get rid of acne, blemishes and even whiteheads and black heads.
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