Dealing with common Teenage skin problems

Is your teen spending a lot of time in front of the mirror, worrying about his/her skin? Do you notice a particular deterioration in the skin condition ever since he/she attained puberty?

Your teen is already going through a lot of changes, both physically and emotionally. Adding skin woes to the list can make matters worse. Just read on to know more about common teen skin problems and how to deal with them.

Common Teenage Skin Problems:

Here are some of the most common skin problems your teen may be facing:

1. Acne:

It is one of the most common and dreaded skin problems, especially during the teen years. Acne is a result of the hormonal changes your teen undergoes during puberty. Both boy and girl teens get acne but it is often worse in boys because they produce 10 times as much androgen as girls and they tend to have more skin oils.

How It Affects Your Teen:

The most common areas where acne breakouts occur are the cheeks and forehead.

Your teen may develop an occasional blemish or breakout that will go away soon.

Your teen may develop a cluster of breakouts that often look like blackheads or whiteheads and may be full of pus.

How To Help:

Medicated creams or lotions containing benzoyl peroxide or other acids can help reduce acne breakout. However, make sure you discuss this with a doctor first before application.

If your teen has greasy hair or scalp, frequent washing can help prevent acne. Often, oily hair can cause acne breakouts, especially if your teen’s hair is long and touches the face often.

Educate your teen to wash the face twice a day using a mild oil-free facial cleanser.

Teach your teen to use an oil-free moisturizer that will not clog the pores but will hydrate your teen’s skin.

Help your teen to choose makeup products (like foundation, primers, blushes) that mention the term non-comedogenic, which means it will not clog pores.

2. Eczema:

Teens may suffer from eczema. It appears especially at the back, neck and face. Yes teen skin problems can be that complicated.

Help your teen to understand the oily parts on his/her face and see whether he/she also suffers from breakouts. If eczema appears, help him/he try the above remedy.

If your teen have eczema,  you can try and remove the it by scratching them open and applying nixoderm on the affected part . For a more permanent care, you need to visit a dermatologist.

Extra Tip: For an oil skin problem, there are various professional laser treatments that take care of oily patches, but make sure you check with your doctor and a dermatologist before making a decision.

3. Excessive Sweating:

Your teen could show signs of excessive sweating on the palms, soles of feet, on the scalp, under the arms or even the face. This can cause body odour, i am sure nobody wants to be in this mess.

The first step is to get your teen an antiperspirant deodorant instead of a perfumed one. It will reduce perspiration and keep your teen smelling fresh.

Ask your teen to take a shower twice a day using non-drying soaps.

In case it does not help, doctors may suggest a minimal invasive surgery procedure to target the sweat glands and reduce the amount of acetylcholine, which causes sweating.

Make sure your teen wears clothes that are light and airy. The cotton fabric will help absorb sweat and allow the skin to breathe. The teenage skin problems can be solved easily too.

Extra Tip – For excessive sweating on the soles of feet, ask your teen to let her shoes dry out completely before use.

4. Excessive Body Hair:

As your teen hits puberty, body hair may become a major concern especially the males. This change in hormones can cause excessive hair growth in some teens. The teenage skin conditions like these may need treatment.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to prevent hair growth all over the body. However, you can introduce your teen to safe hair removal methods at home.

Excessive body hair can indicate the condition of hirsutism. In case you feel the growth is too much, do visit a skin specialist.

Extra Tip – Help your teen try procedures like waxing, using an epilator or hair removal cream.

The teen years are full of hormonal changes that often affect your teen’s skin in different ways. Make sure your teen consumes a balanced diet, regularly exercises and keeps stress at bay.

What were the common skin conditions your teen faced and how did you help her tackle them? We will be glad if you can share your tips and advice with us here.