So what is the Best Acne Treatment for Teens going through Puberty and beyond? Find the causes of Acne issues, how to clear them, and maintain healthy skin.
What is Acne
Acne ( Acne vulgaris), a common skin disease, generally starts during Puberty, when growing hair follicles become clogged with dead skin cells, along with the increase in the body’s natural oil (Sebum).
There are various forms of Acne; some can cause scarring that may require medical intervention.
Although Acne can occur at any age, it is during the teenage years when it seems to be most prevalent.
During Puberty, Sebaceous glands activate and produce Sebum, a natural body oil designed to lubricate and protect the hair and skin.
Types of Acne
Acne comes in various types that vary in color, size, and even sensitivity to the touch.
• Whiteheads: Small bumps with closed pores with a white or yellowish tip
• Blackheads: Small bumps with open pores; the black coloring is due to oxidation
• Papules: Seen as tiny red, tender bumps.
• Pimples: Also known as papules that contain pus at their tips.
• Nodules: They are large, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin.
• Cysts: They are painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the skin’s surface that can also cause scarring.
What Causes Acne in Teenagers
Puberty in Teenagers is the time where acne issues begin.
The sebaceous glands are located around the body and are primarily concentrated around the forehead, face, chest, upper back, and shoulders.
It is here where most of the Teenage Acne begins, as these areas have the highest amount of oil glands compared to the rest of the body.
As teenagers’ bodies start to develop, there is an increased production of hormones known as androgens.
Androgens, Testosterone
In this case, androgens and testosterone, which both males and females have, have much lower quality in females than males.
Within each sebaceous gland, a hair follicle pushes up through the pores out to the skin, along with the Sebum and dead skin cells.
When these become swollen or blocked, various acne types can develop, such as pimples, zits, and other skin disorders that can occur and problems begin.
For young females going through their menstrual cycle, changes in hormones such as estrogen can create further blockages and inflammation.
For teenage males, increased levels of Androgens, such as Testosterone, help with muscular development and hair growth, in both facial and other body areas.
This increase in hormones creates more acne issues for males than females, some of which can be pretty severe.
Myths and truths, You be the judge.
Drugs and Medication
Drugs or medications that affect or change the body’s hormone structure are most likely to cause Acne.
Lithium, a drug medication for people living with bipolar disorder, has other known side effects, such as acne breakouts, which can be around the face, arms, and legs. If this is an issue for you, then please consult your medical professional to assess the situation.
Young men who take anabolic steroids to build up body mass can have severe acne issues; the sooner they stop, the faster they will disappear. Not to mention, it could save their life.
Benzoyl peroxide or Salicylic acid
Two active ingredients in certain products that will help clean Acne are benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid; unfortunately, both have pretty remarkable side effects on the skin.
Benzoyl Peroxide, which was first created in the early 1900s, was used as a medication for mild to moderate forms of Acne.
The chemical kills acne bacteria; however, typical side effects include skin peeling, flaking skin, and skin dryness.
Teenagers with sensitive skin may experience some burning, irritation, or even redness of the skin.
You may find this could last from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how often Benzoyl Peroxide is applied.
Other uses for Benzoyl peroxide uses other uses as a bleaching agent, hair bleaching, tooth whitening pastes, and bleaching flour.
As Benzoyl peroxide was created in the early 1900s, it was not regulated as it is today.
Salicylic Acid has by far more used than Benzoyl peroxide on the medical side; not only is it used for acne issues but to treat warts, psoriasis, dandruff, and ringworm.
However, like benzoyl peroxide, side effects such as burning can damage the pores; oddly enough, it is also used in paint and plaster forms.
Interestingly, these two ingredients are used for the skin and totally different applications away from the body.
Over at Drugs.com, they warn that products containing benzoyl peroxide and even salicylic acid, could in rare cases, cause serious allergic reactions.
Food
Today’s World of Diet
In today’s (fast food) western-style diet, many foods such as burgers, fries, hot dogs, processed foods, sodas, milk, and sugary lollies, already have large amounts of bad fats, refined carbohydrates, and high sugar levels within them.
Some, when fried, make it worse for consumption with the added fats or oils used.
All of which can contribute to increased Acne, as well as adding other skin health issues.
Cutting down on fast foods, and processed foods, and eating foods with a low GI can help reduce Acne and improve overall health.
Sensitivity
Those who are sensitive to certain foods may find an increase in Acne; however, in this case, the best option to take is via a food sensitivity test that can be performed by your medical practitioner, a registered dietitian dermatologist, or nutritionist.
Should you find acne increases after eating certain foods, and you are not sure which foods caused this, an elimination diet can certainly be beneficial by slowly eliminating and re-introducing foods one at a time to find the culprit.
More experimentation is required on how much food has a factor in causing or adding to acne issues.
Regardless of what findings may be presented, your body is the best judge.
If you find certain foods that increase Acne or make it worse, then you know what to avoid.
Hygiene
One such myth is that dirty skin creates Acne.
However, this is not the case; touching Acne with unclean hands, particularly if the skin is broken or contains pus, can add other bacteria to make Acne worse.
Scrubbing the skin with harsh soaps, chemicals, or some abrasives can worsen Acne.
Washing with certain fragrant soaps can dry out the skin making the issue worse.
Many cheap scented soaps contain synthetic fragrance oils that do nothing but make the soap smell nice.
Natural and organic skin-friendly soaps are free from toxins and preservatives and contain only natural ingredients beneficial for the skin overall, including Acne.
Make-up, Creams, and Lotions
Many well-known brand products for both males and females may help you look, smell and perhaps even feel great; however, many of these contain toxins and preservatives absorbed into your skin, which can be detrimental long term.
This can create many other issues, such as clogging of the pores, dryness of the skin, rashes, irritations, and Acne.
Note:
Any severe issues with Acne should be assessed by a qualified practitioner, such as scarring, infected Acne, and any pain produced.
Other forms of Acne that may be termed mild such as pimples and zits, can be taken care of at home.
What is the Best Acne Treatment for Teens
Puberty can be a blessing with growth but can also become a nightmare for some.
As the hormones increase the productivity of the Sebrum, it creates more oil for those with dry skin; however, those with already oily skin can suffer the most.
Therefore, the first point of call for Acne treatment involves taking care of your skin from the start.
This involves certain daily routines that can help eliminate many causes that add to many acne issues.
Remember one important thing: your face and body with you for the rest of your life.
Ask yourself these two questions in front of the mirror is best that you are looking at yourself.
Do I want to have healthy skin and feel good about myself?
Or
This won’t happen to me.
So I will take my chances of getting possible scarring on my face, body, and elsewhere for the rest of my life because I do not want to do anything about it when young and hoped it would all go away quickly.
Below you will find a skincare routine for teenagers along with some fantastic products that will focus on improving your skin while battling the acne saga.
Getting into a daily routine will help to keep the skin clean and fresh.
It is essential to maintain this routine to reduce and gradually eliminate acne issues before they get worse. In addition, for those already with Acne, help overcome such problems in correcting the skin balance.
The following steps will assist.
Cleanse daily
Wash your face twice a day, which is sufficient; use a mild soap that is gentle to the skin.
An excellent soap to use for Acne and, in fact, for the whole body is Dr, Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, including organic and anti-bacterial properties such as Rose, coconut, and hemp oil.
These organic oils will help combat acne, leaving a nourishing feeling on the skin.
Organic oils include Tea Tree, Hemp, Jojoba, Coconut, and Olive oil.
No popping, squeezing, or picking
Yes, there is always the temptation to pop that pimple, especially when you find that unwanted one just before you go out.
Popping or picking pimples can have a reversed effect, pushing the infection further down and creating possible scarring.
Never pick. Picking that pesky acne can result in further inflammation and possible scarring.
For women, this can especially become a problem, as it can aggravate the Acne more with unwanted creams, powders, or makeup that has now been added to the exposed skin.
Makeup
It is best for those using makeup to avoid oils and chemical additives as they may create further issues by clogging pores.
Use oil-free and water-based products, preferably organic and non-toxic products that are safer to use and give their highest performance for the skin, not against this skin.
Best Natural Skincare for Acne
Many products will help with Teenage Acne, some of which I have already mentioned in the daily cleansing section above.
Here are some of the best recommended organic and non-toxic health products for teenage skin dealing with Acne.
These will significantly help you further maintain healthy skin and take care of those unwanted bumps on your face and body.
Although there may be different products for the young lady or gent, many will work well for either gender.
Exfoliate
To help maintain clean and healthy skin, exfoliation is a great way to remove excess skin build-up.
I would recommend using Moroccan Magic Sleep Exfoliating Face Wash which can be used at least 3 times a week.
This face wash contains Argan Oil, Shea Butter, Rosehip Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Bamboo Stem Extract, and Avocado Oil just to name a few.
It is also organic plus Vegan, gluten-free, and Cruelty-Free, with No Sulfates, synthetic fragrances, Parabens, or Phthalates just what your body needs for healthy skin.
Hydrate
Now that you have exfoliated your skin, the next great way to keep your skin hydrated and balanced is to use the Acure Oil Control Moisturiser, which helps control excess oil production.
It may also help to reduce any blemishes you may have.
Cleanse
For girls, the Acure Facial Cleansing Gel is a foaming cleanser gentle to the skin and contains ingredients such as Echinacea Plant Stem Cells.
Superfruit extracts are designed to help wash away excess oils designed for various skin types giving you a soft look without that drying effect some products give you.
There is another fantastic option that will benefit you that will certainly benefit the young ladies of the future.
The Youth System 6-piece contains the Superfool Cleanser, Face Oil, Moisturizer, Vitamin C Serum, Eye Cream, and Energy Facial.
The great part of this pact is that it is Cruelty-Free. No parabens, phthalates, sulfates, phthalates, dimethicone, or mineral oil.
These products are excellent for both genders; some work better individually.
Skincare Products for teenage boys
Now guys, the products mentioned above are great for teenage girls, but they can be used for boys.
However, if you feel the above are too girly for you and want to have your skincare brands, the 808 Dude products are for you.
Here you get 3 products one as a zit-blasting face wash, Organic Aluminum-Free Deodorant to keep those armpits fresh and great for those with sensitive skin along with the Shampoo & Body Wash to keep the greasy area away from your body.
The 808 Dude pack works as a natural cleanser to help clear the skin with natural organic ingredients such as tea tree oil and ginseng which contain the much-needed antibacterial and antioxidants your precious skin needs.
Now taking care of your skin is just as important as smelling great, so give 808 Dude Deodorant a try that will help you stay dry longer and feel great throughout the day.
Just ask yourself how important your skin health, looks, lifestyle, self-esteem, and confidence are.
Now, as teenagers, you have a great opportunity in life to look after your skin now so you can be proud of what you have done years down the track.
Take action now, enjoy the healthy and loving skin you deserve, and give these options a chance.
Recommended Article of Interest
The Best Organic Skin Care Brands
Natural Organic Products for Bath, Body, and Home
Wishing you much enjoyment in life both now and in the future.
As Always
