The Hurdles of Being a Teenager: 5 Strategies for Dealing with Teen Acne
Acne can ruin your self-confidence. It is a disorder of the skin triggered by swelling of oil glands and hair follicles common among teenagers experiencing hormonal changes, and perhaps poor skin hygiene and dietary factors.
For girls, acne comes as early as age 11. Boys start seeing signs two or three years later. The skin condition affects approximately 85 percent of teenagers. So how can you deal with acne effectively?
Discover 5 strategies that will work for you.
Be a regular face washer
Teenhood acne could be triggered by a lot of factors, but getting rid of excess oils and washing your face two or three times a day is a good place to start. It helps keep your pores open preventing clogging and inflammation.
Preferably, use oil-free face cleansers and wash your whole face, more so the acne-prone areas. Clean your face in the morning, before retiring to bed, and after a workout. Wash gently to avoid irritating pimples and worsening the situation.
Reduce makeup application (and avoid oil-based cosmetics)
Reduce as much as possible the types and layers of makeup you apply—particularly heavy foundation— as they could easily clog your skin pores and trigger pimple growth. Avoid oil-based cosmetics and moisturizers.
Consider oil-free makeup or look for labels like “water-based”, “noncomedogenic” or “mineral-based”. Oil-free lotions and sunscreens are still your best choices if you’re trying to fight acne.
Moisturizers should be “non-comedogenic pH balanced” (mildly acidic and not irritant to the skin).
Exfoliate 2 to 3 times a week
Exfoliating involves removing the layer of dead skin cells which is vital in keeping pores open and removing superficial pimples. Use exfoliating pads specifically designed for the face and ensure both your face and pad are moistened.
Pour some mild cleanser to the pad and gently exfoliate in circular rubs on your entire face, and rinse with clean water, and then dry. Exfoliation is not a daily process lest it irritates your skin, it should be done twice or thrice a week. Keep your exfoliating pads clean by spewing on them some hydrogen peroxide or leaving them in the microwave for 60 seconds to kill bacteria that lead to skin conditions.
Treat with herbal solutions
There’s a long list of plant-based acne solutions although with limited scientific research attesting their effectiveness. Some are anti-oxidants (anti-inflammatories), others are exfoliating agents, while others are antiseptic (destroy bacteria). Common acne herbal solutions include extracts of lemon juice, raw papaya, green tea, tea tree, azelaic acid cream, licorice root, and Aloe Vera balm. Give herbal treatments time (like a fortnight) to see results. Use them as advised below;
- Aloe Vera is perfect for acute acne because it is antiseptic.
- Tea tree balm is antibacterial (but irritates some peoples’ skins).
- Lemon juice extract is antiseptic
Keep your hands off your face
If you have a habit of touching your face, you may end up picking at your pimples unintentionally. But that worsens the skin disorder as the bacteria on your hands and nails may fall on the pores start growing. So always keep your hands off your face unless they need to be there.
Wrapping Up
Do not pop your pimples as that may lead to infection, instead, let them grow as you practice these healing methods and they’ll heal in the long run. If they don’t work for you, see a dermatologist.