Parents Zone

The Acne Disaster

While acne is one of the most common skin disorders known to man, especially in adolescents, it has the power to turn your teen into a devastated, panic-stricken social recluse.  Admittedly it is more the girls than the boys that put on such dramatics – and dramatics they are, because chances are over 50% of their friends have the same problem – but either way, their world has come to an end, and there is no way they are going out in public looking like that. 

Unfortunately, there is no cure for acne, but maybe a better understanding of what causes it, and what irritates it, may help your teen to prevent it's “disastrous” effects on their social life...........and your sanity.

The Causes Of Acne
Acne is, quite simply, caused by the increased hormone activity in your child.  This increase effects the sebaceous glands – those glands that produce your body's natural moisturiser – causing them to over-produce sebum.  The pores on your skin are the canals into which these glands drain, and normally the sebum will flow out smoothly and without incident.  However, when the glands begin secreting large amounts of sebum, the pores become clogged which results in the visible lump which your teen is freaking out about.

Acne can take on 3 different forms:
The whitehead appears when there is no opening on the skin for the sebum to escape.  When there is an opening, and pigment from nearby cells accumulate, this is what is known as a blackhead.  Then you have the more disfiguring and, sometimes, scarring form of acne, cysts.  These form when bacteria mix with the oil and build up in the blackheads.  They begin to look like small boils and can be extremely painful.  It is very important with all forms of acne, especially on the face and neck, that your teen does not burst or squeeze the pimples, this will only increase the chances of permanent scarring.

For many years it was believed that acne was caused by different foods, and was sometimes the result of unclean skin.  This is not true.  While different foods may irritate the condition, especially if you have an allergy, and the effort to keep your skin cleansed of the build-up of sebum, can help, they do not cause it.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure
There are many things that can be done to aid in the prevention or worsening of acne, some suggestions include:

• Wash your face every morning and every night with soap and water.
• Avoid oil-based make-ups as this only exacerbates the condition – and avoid all make-up while acne is present.
• When showering, use warm-hot water to soap yourself, as this opens the pores, and after rinsing, cool the water down to close them again.
• When removing make-up, use a good gentle cleanser, ensuring all make-up has been removed, and wash with warm soapy water afterwards to remove the cleanser and any remaining make-up.  Do not over-cleanse as this can lead to a drying out of the skin.
• Many anti-acne products produce a daily face wash that can be effective in keeping your pores cleansed and free from the build-up of oils.

Treatments
There is such a broad range of products available on today's market that claim to treat acne.  Many brands have a variety of options available, and ones that target different forms of acne.  You can buy anything from daily washes, to exfoliating scrubs, to ointments and creams, some expensive, some inexpensive; the possibilities are endless.

One product that stands out from the rest for me, having seen the effects for myself is the Proactiv Solution.  While not available in any shops, you can buy it on-line here: http://www.proactiv.com.au/Proactiv_AU/

Ultimately it is up to you and your teen which solution or treatment is right for you and your budget, but it is important to establish a Preventative Routine as soon as possible to avoid the Acne Disaster.