Acne can happen at any age but is a lot more common among teenagers; almost 8 in 10 teens have acne (kidshealth.org).  Acne is considered a normal part of puberty, but knowing that doesn't exactly make it any easier to deal with. Skin can be a huge challenge for teenagers because hormones are all over the place as their bodies are developing into adulthood. For one thing, testosterone comes into play and can kick the sebaceous glands into overdrive causing oily skin and of course breakouts. The natural reaction is to scrub, scrub, scrub and strip the skin which causes a lot more problems. Also, girls at this age begin wearing make up, and many products contain harmful ingredients that could clog pores and if it is not removed properly, your skin could become one big mess.

There are many myths out there about what causes acne, some people think that the food they eat is a huge factor and that they absorb oils from greasy foods and somehow secrete them out of their skin glands, but there is no scientific link between food and acne.  What you eat does affect your overall health as well as the health of your skin; though it is not a cause of acne. Also, many people think that stress is a major cause of acne, though it can make existing acne worse because stress increases sebum production, studying for finals or getting ready for that big date will not cause you to breakout.

Many of us are very conscious about what we put into our bodies, however we do not always pay that much attention to what we put on top of our skin. Many skin care products and make up contain ingredients that are harmful to a person's skin; the key is to educate yourself on these ingredients so you can choose products wisely.

Some of these ingredients are:

There are a ton of products out there and it can be difficult to choose which is best for your skin. Teens should be using lightweight products that address their skin concerns at this age, for example Dermalogica's Clean Start Line is a fantastic skin care line designed specifically for teens by teens. Each product is intended to target specific issues that teens deal with, breakouts, oiliness and dehydration. UV protection is also very important to the health of your skin. Though, a tan seems to clear up acne, it doesn't do that at all, it merely covers it up for awhile and causes skin damage in the process. There are many light weight sunscreens out there that will protect you from UV rays without clogging pores. Clean Start Welcome Matte SPF 15 & Clean Start Brighten Up SPF 15 are both great moisturizers that contain an SPF.

A big mistake teens make when it comes to blemishes is picking and over stripping the skin. Over cleaning the skin causes more problems as oil production increases when the skin is stripped of its natural oils. Picking and popping can cause scarring and make blemishes appear worse than they are, so please refrain from the urge to pick, poke and squeeze. Instead, using spot treatments like Clean Start Hit the Spot will reduce the redness, kill the bacteria and clear up that nasty pimple. Also, it is never too early to start getting professional skin treatments, having a professional assess your skin and teach you how to properly take care of your skin is one of the best ways to get a handle on it all.

Besides, you have more important things to worry about than bad skin...like what you will be wearing to the party!

Teresa

Skin Therapist

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il Destino Salon and Spa, Port Moody, BC