Can you ever get a straight answer about what causes teenage acne?
Your grandma says it’s caused by this, your mom says it’s caused by that and your new best friend just read an article that says the cause has nothing to do with what grandma and mom have to say about teenage acne.
Well, we’d love to give you straight answers about the struggle of teenage acne, as well as some tips for prevention and treatment. Sound good?
Now, just because your family and friends have differing thoughts on teenage acne doesn’t mean we do.
Here’s what we know and would love to share with you…
What Causes Acne In Teens?
Acne, especially teenage acne, isn’t always caused by those fast food runs loaded with French fries or eating all that chocolate while you binge-watch Netflix.
Contrary to a lot of rumors out there, acne isn’t always connected to what you eat (that doesn’t give you a permission slip to go crazy on all the fried food though – some doctors still say the gut is highly connected to what shows up on your face).
Teenage acne is usually caused by factors like excess oil and dead skin cells, genetics and most commonly⏤a surge of hormones at that particular age.
This is due to an overproduction of sebum because of the surge in hormones that can send glands and organs into overdrive.
When the age of puberty hits and sex hormones are being secreted and are all over the place you may start to see acne pop up on your back and chest, along with enlarged pores.
A particular hormone⏤Cortisol⏤also increases during times of stress and adolescence; this can cause more sex hormones to sky rocket, which leads to increased inflammation and oil production.
And if you’re thinking about which gender this affects in particular – teen males tend to experience teenage acne for a longer period, while teen females usually experience short-term breakouts that correlate to their menstrual cycle.
Teenage Acne Prevention
Some of the best ways to treat acne is to look at prevention. Here’s a couple tips to help you with teenage acne prevention.
CLEANSE AFTER SWEATING
Heat and friction are not your best friends when it comes to acne. If you work up a sweat during a workout or find yourself in the heat -- shower and cleanse after you’re done working up a good sweat. This can help keep the pores clean and unclogged.
DON’T WASH TOO MUCH
If you think washing your face and body more than twice a day is going to help your acne breakouts--think again. Excess washing can dry your skin out and not only cause irritation but create more oil and dead skin.
Stick to washing your face and body no more than twice a day. Be sure to stay away from harsh astringents and using alcohol that can dry and strip your face.
NO PICKING
We know the urge to pop that pimple staring at you in the mirror is of high importance, but for the love of your skin and your future skin⏤DON’T!
Picking and popping can damage the skin (scarring) and not to mention all the dirt you place on your skin from your fingers and hands while you poke and pop (gross is right!).
MAINTAIN A SKIN CARE REGIMEN
Having a daily routine for your skin care is crucial to prevention and treatment of teenage acne.
Visit a skin care professional who can analyze your individual needs and create a custom program just for you.
Keep in mind that starting a specialized skin care regimen for teenage acne takes time, so be patient, it may take up to 8 weeks or more before results can be seen.
Teenage Acne Treatment
Now that you know those greasy foods and chocolate aren’t ALL to blame for teenage acne (hormones, we’re looking at you) and you have some awesome prevention tips – here’s even more treatment options to consider as well.
In collaboration with your skin care professional, these treatments can be effective in treating acne:
We know teenage acne can be a time in life that is uncomfortable but remember there is help and often times, this phase in life is usually temporary.
Reach out to a skin care professional that can support you in your teenage acne journey or follow some of our prevention and treatment tips to see you through this time.
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