It might very well appear fairly trivial to many people however to a teenager the onset of acne can often seem like the end of the world. Most teenagers will get acne at some time and, in many cases, it is fairly mild and nothing more than irritating. However, in other cases acne can be severe and result in a poor body image and occasionally even serious depression. In every case however there are a number of steps which you can take to help your teenager to deal with the problems posed by acne.
One significant problem with acne is that there are many myths about acne which your teenager is very likely to hear at school or to pick up on things like the Internet. You must therefore begin by arming yourself with the truth and here are a few the main facts about just what causes acne and what can make an attack of acne worse:
* Genetics – some children are quite simply more susceptible to acne than others no matter what they do.
* Too much scrubbing – a surprising number of teenagers think than cleaning their skin well will help to rid them of acne. While cleanliness is certainly important, scrubbing the skin too vigorously can cause problems for existing spots and also result in their spread.
* Popping spots – the majority of children cannot resist the temptation to squeeze their pimples and this is one thing which we can all understand. Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that this may seem to make things look better in the short term, it will only cause more problems in the longer term.
* Diet – the precise connection between acne and diet is not well understood at the moment but there can be little doubt diet has a part to play when it comes to acne.
* Stress – when we find ourselves suffering from stress the normal chemical balance in our bodies becomes unbalanced and this can add to the problems of teen acne.
* Makeup – many children, both girls and boys, will attempt to use makeup to hide their acne. This can however cause problems both in terms of the inability of the skin to breathe adequately and of acne reacting to the makeup used.
The first thing which your teenagers need to understand is that acne is a natural part of the process of growing up and, in particular, of the hormonal changes which are going on within their bodies. They must also understand that some teenagers will suffer more than others and that, whether they are one of the lucky ones or not, this is just a phase that will pass in time.
Next, your teenagers need to be taught proper skin care and it is best to start this at an early age, and before acne appears if at all possible. However, if acne has already reared its ugly head it is not too late and skin care is something which they need to learn and practice.
Teenagers should wash their face in the morning and again each evening with a mild soap and, when acne arrives, with a specially formulated acne soap which can be bought over-the counter at most supermarkets or drug stores. One important point to remember here is that washing twice a day is sufficient and that, although they may be tempted to wash more often this can actually dry the skin and make their acne worse.
Over-the-counter acne soaps and washing will frequently be enough, although this is not an instant cure and your kids need to be patient and persistent. If this does not do the trick however you will need to talk to your doctor or consult a dermatologist. Your doctor or dermatologist will be able to suggest the best acne medicine which your child will again need to use for quite some considerable period of time before it produces results.
Unquestionably, the most important step you can take towards assisting your child to deal with acne is to start early. Your teenager may well be embarrassed by the arrival of acne and you may be reluctant to step in and help if they have only a spot or two. However, beginning treatment early can frequently knock the problem on the head and stop it from growing into a surprisingly serious condition. Parenting teens is not always simple however with the right preparation it does not have to be all that difficult either.