The teen years are probably the most stressful time in a
person’s life. Adding the downside of acne doesn’t help the
self-esteem of a young adult.

Before puberty begins the body produces hormones called
androgens which cause the oil glands to produce extra oil. This
oil often joins together with dead skin cells. This combination
gets into the pores and traps the bacteria and oil in the skin.
The oil continues to produce while the pore becomes swollen
becoming acne.

Here are some general tips on how to care for teen acne.

1. Never touch your skin with unwashed hands. Hands that are not
washed with soap carry the germs from everything you touch
throughout the day. These germs most definitely can cause teen
acne or make it worse.

2. Wash your face every morning and night with a cleanser geared
toward acne skin. Popular brands are Cetaphil, Basis, Purpose
and Neutrogena. Washing more than twice a day can actually
produce more oil in the skin.

3. Products such as Oxy and Clearasil work for spot treating
teen acne. These should be used at bedtime only and not washed
off.

4. There are several drug store brands such as Neutrogena that
sell masks for acne skin. These should be used as directed -once
or twice a week before bedtime. Masks are usually applied
between 10 to 20 minutes and then washed off.

5. Moisturizer is not always needed for teen acne. Because the
hormones are changing during this time, teen skin can become
oilier than normal. Therefore moisturizers can cause more acne
problems.

6. If you choose to use a toner, find one without alcohol.
Alcohol will strip the outer layer of teen skin causing the
production of more oil.

7. Exfoliating is great for teen acne because exfoliating will
brush off the dead skin which combined with oil contributes to
acne. HOWEVER - be careful not to use an exfoliant that is too
harsh which could actually tear your skin. A product geared
toward acne skin is best: such as Neutrogena or St. Ives Scrub
(Medicated)

8. Using non-comedogenic and oil-free makeup and sun care
products are basically mandatory if you want to protect your
teen skin from further breakouts.

9. Do not allow your skin to burn in the sun or tanning bed.
Sunburn will make your acne worse by causing more blocked pores
because dead skin cells are shed faster.

FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY 10. DO NOT SQUEEZE OR “POP” your
acne. This can actually cause an infection within the skin
making your skin condition much worse. Also picking can cause
permanent scars.

Remember because the teen body is going through a normal
hormonal change, teen acne is very common. However, it can take
up to 2 months before the skin starts to clear. If after that
time the above tips do not seem to work, parents should be asked
to make an appointment with a dermatologist. With the help of a
professional, teen acne can most definitely be overcome.

About the author:
Michele Bucci is a licensed esthetician and contributing editor
to Begin With the Skin.Com - a site created to ="http://beginwiththeskin.com">answer your questions about skin
care!