A face with acne, doesn’t look good, right? But for most teenagers, this is something that they go through regularly. They will have acne on their skin (mostly face) which they think ruins their looks. Now, if you are a parent and reading this, just go back to your teenage days and try to remember how looks were important to you and what you would have felt when you had acne on your face at that time? Felt horrible, right? Now you can understand what your teenage boy or girl goes through because of a teenage acne problem.
But, the interesting thing is, your child is not the only person going through this problem. Close to 85% of all teenagers face this skin issue. So, it is important that as a parent, you address this issue and give your child a cleaner face and skin by eliminating all the acne on his or her face. But, the question is how you can do this. It may seem tough but getting rid of acne is very simple. You can do that even with some home remedies. However, knowing only the home remedies for teenage acne will not be enough to solve the problem because it can come back again.
So, you need to understand this problem of acne properly before you proceed with teenage acne natural remedies. The basic things you should know are the causes, symptoms, treatments, and the most important thing, what teenage acne is exactly.
What is Teenage Acne?
Teenage acne is a skin issue that your boy or girl will face or is facing during the teenage years. You know that the skin has pores. Sometimes those pores can get clogged which is known as blackheads or whiteheads. Also, for those having the problem of acne, you will find lumps (sometimes deep) on their chest, face, back, shoulders, upper arms, and in many other places.
Here is another interesting thing you should know and teenage acne. If the parents had this problem in the past, the children might also get it. However, there are many ways in which you can prevent teenage acne and control the damage to a minimum.
So, even if your child is having acne on his or her skin, you can prevent the skin from getting scarred or have the skin glowing again. You just have to follow the treatment of the doctor or apply home remedies consistently and properly.
What are the Causes of Teenage Acne?
If you want to understand the cause of teenage acne, then you need to know the basics of how the human skin works.
- First of all, the skin has pores and inside those pores, there are oil glands. After reaching puberty, there will be a huge rise in the production of androgen which is a sex hormone. Now, because of this excess production of androgen, the oil glands become hyperactive and thus, produce excess oil. So, due to this extra oil on your skin, the hair follicles and pores get blocked. This blockage happens due to skin cells.
- Also, this extra production of oil results in the growth of Cutibacteriumacnes, which is a bacteria.
- Apart from that, there are many other reasons why a person can have acne on his or her skin. As you know, hormonal changes play a big role in excess oil production.
- This hormonal change can become worse by the use of birth control pills, or at the time of pregnancy or menstrual cycles.
- Meanwhile, using too many cosmetics and too much cream on the skin could result in acne problems.
- Moreover, using too many hair growth supplements or dye will aggravate the blockage in your skin pores.
- Another trigger for acne can be exercise if you are doing it in hot conditions as you will sweat profoundly.
- Another huge factor for acne could be stress. As you know, stress increases the production of oil in the skin. Thus, you can see pimples on a child’s on his or her first day at a new school or even before an important school debate.
What are the Symptoms of Teenage Acne?
The following symptoms will be an indication for you to have teenage acne treatment:
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Pimple:
When the blockage in the pores becomes inflamed or infected, it will have a raised area on the skin where the center will be white.
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Whitehead:
When the pores become clogged, bulged, and closed.
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Blackhead:
When the clogged pores stay open and the above part becomes a bit blackish because of the presence of air and oxidation.
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Pustule:
When the pimple becomes inflamed and reddish due to the growing bacteria in the blocked pores.
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Cysts:
When painful and large lumps form, deep inside the skin surface due to inflammation and blockage of the pores.
How to Get Rid of Teenage Acne?
If your child is facing the problem of teenage acne, then you should look to find a cure for it as soon as possible. Leaving it there without doing anything can leave a scar on their skin. You may not realize but that scar may damage their self-esteem some way or the other. That is why here are some things that you can do to get rid of the teenage acne problem:
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Use the Best Skincare Products while Treating Acne:
The skincare products one uses can play a major role in further causing acne. That is why always use the best skincare for teenage acne as it will help you to get rid of the condition without creating a negative impact on your skin.
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Try Home Remedies:
You will find many teenage acne treatment home remedies which you can apply. They are very much helpful in avoiding this problem for a longer time.
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Over the Counter Medicines:
You can go to any medicine shop and buy an over-the-counter medicine to solve the problem of teenage acne. However, you should be careful while doing this as if you choose the wrong medicine, things could go from bad to worse. That is why consulting a doctor before buying any such medicine will be a better way to find the right teenage acne treatment.
What are the Home Remedies for Teenage Acne?
When it comes to home remedies for teenage acne, you have so many things options. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective home remedies that will help you to control the problem of teenage acne successfully.
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Use Face Washes without Oil:
Buying a face wash that contains no oil can be a great way to address the problem of teenage acne. First of all, you need to take a little amount of face wash and apply it to your child’s skin. Don’t scrub the skin as it may cause a negative effect.
After that, you dry his or her face by patting it with a dry towel. Don’t wipe off the face wash from the skin. Also, if the face wash has the exfoliate feature, it will help in getting rid of the dead skin cells. With fewer dead skill cells, you have lesser chances of the follicles becoming clogged. So, make your child use the best face wash for teenage acne as it will have this feature.
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Eat Foods that Contain Zinc:
You should know that zinc has shown a remarkable impact on curing acne. It reduces the intensity of your child’s problem quite a bit. If you use zinc oxide topically, it will be great as it will absorb the oil on your child’s skin and reduce the redness.
Your child can take zinc supplements after consulting a doctor. But, a better solution would be to eat foods that contain zinc. Your child can find zinc in many types of foods such as oatmeal, poultry items, sesame seeds, meat, seafood, and wheat germ.
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Increase the Intake of Vitamin A and E:
Vitamins play a key role in your nutrition. But, you should also know that vitamin A and E can help you to counter your child’s acne issue. You can have these vitamins from various food items:
Foods Containing Vitamin A
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- Eggs
- Milk
- Fish oils
- Bell pepper (Red)
- Mango
- Tomato
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Broccoli
- Spinach
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Foods Containing Vitamin E
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- Bell pepper (Red)
- Spinach
- Pumpkin
- Various Oils from legumes and seeds
- Beet green
- Asparagus
- Collard greens
- Mango
- Avocado
- Peanut
- Almond
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If you are planning to give vitamin A and E as supplements to your child, it will be better to consult a doctor first.
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Face Mask using Cinnamon and Honey:
Cinnamon and honey are two things that can work wonderfully against acne. In these, you will find certain elements which will stop the spread of the bacteria responsible for causing acne. So, your teenage boy or girl can use this face mask with cinnamon and honey twice a week:
Preparation of the Cinnamon and Honey Face Mask
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- Take a tablespoon of honey and mix it up with a teaspoon of cinnamon.
- After washing the face, pat dry it, and then apply the mixture on the face evenly.
- Leave the mixture on the face for around 20 minutes and after that, wash it off.
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Consume Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Consuming omega-3 fatty acids has shown terrific results in getting rid of acne in teenagers. Apart from that, omega-3 can reduce the growth of inflammatory compounds and also stop the overproduction of the skin cells. As a result, it will eventually reduce the problem of acne. Here are some of the food items that your child can have to increase the consumption of omega-3;
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- Walnuts
- Soybean oil
- Tofu
- Flaxseed and oil
- Fish
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Tea Tree Oil:
By using tea tree oil, you can reduce the problem of acne in your child. But, it will take time. In many cases, you might have to wait for about three months to see any visible result. Now, while using tea tree oil, you have to dilute it and this is where it can be a bit risky.
If you do not understand the proper quantity of the tea tree oil while diluting it with the right quantity of water, it can cause further skin problems for your child. So, a safer option would be to use gels or face washes that contain tea tree oil. Using such products regularly will show positive results on your child’s skin over time.
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Green Tea:
Many people have observed that using green tea in areas where you have acne can reduce the condition. Green tea has polyphenols that can reduce the quantity of oil production. If your child has a mild or moderate acne problem, green tea might be of great help.
But, in the case of severe acne, it is still a mystery whether green tea will work successfully or not. Nonetheless, as green tea is readily available at home now, trying it will not be such a bad idea to solve the problem of acne.
How to Use Green Tea for Acne Problem?
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- Boil the green tea just like you do when you drink it.
- Next, leave it for cooling and after that, apply it to your child’s skin by using cotton balls.
- Pat dry the green tea from the areas where you have used it on your child’s skin.
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If you can do this on your child’s skin once a day regularly, you might see some positive outcomes of your child’s acne problem.
What is Teenage Acne Treatment?
Teenage acne treatment is not just a one-time solution. It is a skincare habit that your child has to develop over the years which will prevent the acne from reappearing. Apart from that, if you go to a doctor, he or she might give your child topical medicines or antibiotics that will solve the problem.
But, if you don’t want the problem to appear time and time again, your child needs to follow some strict skincare guidelines. If your child follows the skincare guidelines thoroughly, you don’t need to worry about how to get rid of teenage acne. So, here are some of the things your child should do to avoid having acne:
- Wash the face two times a day by using warm water and mild soap.
- Never scrub the face as it will aggravate the problem of acne.
- Avoid stress as it will reduce the overproduction of oil.
- Stop exposing your child’s skin to sunlight for long hours without using sunscreen.
- Don’t use oily makeup products and avoid hair products that are too greasy.
- Never pop or burst the pimples as it will worsen the condition.
Teenage acne is one problem most teenage boys and girls will face. But, as parents, you need to be vigilant so that the problem does not become severe. With proper skincare and by applying proper home remedies, you can get rid of the problem. However, if that doesn’t work and the condition gets worse, don’t wait to consult your doctor.