Acne Care For Teenagers

Acne is an extremely common skin condition. While embarrassing and detracting from self-esteem, its symptoms can also make treatment challenging and time consuming.

There are plenty of effective and user-friendly treatments for teenage acne, making it possible to restore their skin back into health again. Here are a few products we love that may help put things back on track for your teen.

Use a good cleanser

As part of puberty, hormones can lead to excess oil production, leading to clogged pores and breakouts. A quality cleanser is therefore essential in combating this form of acne.

Finding the ideal face wash for your teenager means selecting one with ingredients specifically tailored to their skin type – something that will effectively eliminate dirt, oil, and makeup without upsetting their delicate complexion.

Cleansers contain harsh chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin. If your teen has sensitive skin, consider choosing a more gentle face wash with less ingredients.

Choose a gentle exfoliating face wash that will gently remove dead skin cells and help reduce breakouts, such as Dove Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser with its small exfoliating particles that will gently buff away dead skin from your surface.

A quality face wash should contain salicylic acid to unclog pores and smooth skin, however starting off at lower concentrations like 0.5 percent could help avoid irritation according to Jessica Wu MD of Los Angeles who specializes in both medical and cosmetic dermatology.

Benzoyl peroxide, another ingredient commonly found in drugstore face washes to combat acne, can be drying if your skin is normal to dry. There’s also the possibility of having an allergic reaction from salicylic acid so it is important to read labels and monitor how your teenager’s skin reacts to salicylic acid products.

To keep your teen’s skin healthy and free of acne, you should also invest in an acne-fighting moisturizer. The ideal product will reduce acne-causing bacteria while healing scars and preventing future breakouts.

Avoid products containing sulfates, as these ingredients can dry out your teen’s skin and trigger more oil production. Sulfates such as sodium laureth sulfate and laureth sulfate can be harsh – choose skincare products without these harsh ingredients when selecting products for teenage skincare use.

One of the best face washes for teens is a cleansing bar that will quickly and efficiently eliminate dirt, oil and makeup in one step. Young teens will find this easier to use than a bottle, while it eliminates plastic waste from entering our oceans or landfills. One popular example from Drunk Elephant’s Pekee Bar includes blueberry extract and honey to help hydrate, clarify and balance skin conditions.

Moisturize

Acne is a common part of teenage skin care, but it’s essential that it be addressed gently. Additionally, using products tailored specifically for your type of skin may help.

Oily, dry and combination skin types each have unique needs; in order to identify which skin care products will best meet them it’s important to understand which category yours falls into.

Unlearn how to identify your skin type by washing and closely inspecting it. Shiny, oily skin with open pores and blackheads indicates oiliness; red, flaky or irritated patches indicate dry skin types.

Make time to cleanse with a cleanser tailored specifically for your skin type and then follow up with a hydrating toner to remove any leftover residue, keeping pores clear.

Cleansers designed specifically for teens must be mild. Look for one without SLS or synthetic fragrance that will leave your skin soft and fresh. A mild foaming cleanser may be more suitable.

Exfoliation should also be an integral component of your teen’s skincare regimen, helping to remove dead skin cells and bacteria that clogs pores – both factors which could potentially contribute to acne breakouts.

Avoid harsh scrubs as these may aggravate acne further and should instead opt for gentle cleansers such as Dermalogica’s UltraCalming Cleanser to ensure maximum efficacy.

Moisturizers should also play an essential part in your teen’s skincare regime as they help balance his or her microbiome, leading to healthier skin overall. In addition, moisturizers prevent dry skin flaking which may aggravate existing pimples or lead to new ones forming.

Your teen should moisturize twice each day — once in the morning and once at night. Choose a moisturizer that includes sunscreen to provide added UV ray protection for their delicate skin.

Moisturizing products can be particularly helpful for acne-prone skin as their hydrating properties help regulate oil production and stop it from getting too greasy. You may even find moisturizers formulated with benzoyl peroxide that have proven their ability to combat acne breakouts.

Apply sunscreen

Sun exposure can dry out skin, contributing to further acne outbreaks.

People with acne-prone skin are especially susceptible to the sun’s harmful UV rays, which damage their outer protective barrier and lead to moisture loss which leads to dehydration. Their bodies respond by producing more oil in order to compensate for this deficit of moisture in their system.

Though sunscreen may seem unnecessary for those suffering from acne, its importance cannot be overstated. A good quality sunblock will protect against UV rays which cause skin damage and inflammation and help you prevent future outbreaks of breakouts.

Make sure to apply sunscreen liberally over all exposed areas of your skin, such as ears and neck, including ears and neck, at least 15 minutes prior to heading outdoors, according to Madfes. “Sunscreen should be applied at least 15 minutes in advance in order for it to absorb into the skin,” states Madfes.

Keep reapplying throughout the day in order to prevent sunburn and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (acne scarring), both of which are difficult to treat.

Acne-prone teens are especially at risk of sun damage. If this describes you, make sure that you use at least an SPF 30 sunscreen product to stay safe in the sun.

Consider choosing a noncomedogenic product containing ingredients like zinc, white tea and lactic acid to soothe blemishes and reduce redness. In addition, opt for mineral-based sunscreens which won’t block pores or cause irritation.

Chemical and physical (mineral-based) sunscreens available today that can effectively treat acne-prone skin are abundant. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are among the many active ingredients included in these types of products, though other skincare and anti-aging ingredients can also be formulated into them for maximum benefits to your complexion.

To achieve more effective protection, look for sunscreens containing niacinamide, an ingredient which hydrates skin. According to Dietert, this will prevent overproduction of oil that could trigger acne breakouts.

If you suffer from breakouts, it’s also wise to avoid sunscreen containing oxybenzone and homosalate, which have been found to cause irritation and can even be potentially hazardous for teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control.