Skincare for Pimply Teens

Teenagers often suffer from pimply skin. Acne is common, and teens hate it. Lucky for them, it is a treatable skin condition. Also fortunately for teens, pretty much all other teens get the same, or similar problems. In fact, about 80-90% of teens (girls and guys) will have some kind of acne breakout during their adolescent years. Because it is so common, let’s take a look at some of the skin care options for pimply skin:

The best skin care option is prevention. Acne and pimply skin is caused by clogged pores and follicles. The pores are usually clogged by dead skin cells and oil. So, to care for skin that is pimply, your teen will want to clean it daily so that dead skin does not have a chance to clog pores.

Another cause of skin problems in teens is hormonal imbalances. These hormonal changes during puberty often lead to an increase in oil production. Oily skin can lead to pimply skin and acne. How? Well, the oil that skin makes is supposed to carry dead skin cells to the skin’s surface so they can be washed off, but when there is too much oil, instead of eliminating the cells, it leads to clogged pores, also known as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and cysts. So, to care for skin, use an oil fighting cleanser that is mild, but clears the skin of excess oil, dead skin, dirt, etc.

While pimples are basically caused by clogged pores, your teen may be doing things to increase the number of clogged pores they have. The following are a few tips for how to reduce the number of pimples he gets:

1. Avoid wearing headbands, helmets, beanies, etc. as they can trap oil and dead skin cells on your skin.
2. Avoid things that irritate skin.
3. Avoid lotions, make-ups, or hair products that are oily, as they just add to the problem.
4. If your teen works in places with high oil contents (like the kitchen of a hamburger place), be sure to have him wash his face as soon as he gets home.
5. Have your teen avoid stress, as emotions can cause changes in hormones, which could cause breakouts more often.
6. Avoid harsh skin conditions.

Now that your teen knows how to avoid getting some of the pimples, let’s look at a few tips for treating the ones they do get:

Tip one: Choose a skin care product that they will use regularly. If it is too difficult, time consuming, or too big of a process, they may not use it. So, while quality skin care products are important, consistency is more important.

Tip two: Don’t use harsh exfoliates as they can aggravate acne.

Tip three: Do not pick, squeeze, or pop. It often forces bacteria deeper into the skin, can cause inflammation, spreading, etc. Try not to touch your face at all, as hands carry bacteria, dirt, etc.