If you are on the cusp of becoming an adult, or a parent with a teenager who suffers from acne, keep reading to find out what you should do with your teenage acne! Teenage acne affects millions of adolescents worldwide, and it is particularly common in Singapore’s humid climate.
What is Acne and Why Do Teenagers Get it?
Acne happens when an oily substance called sebum clogs your hair follicles, resulting in pimples on your face, throat, back, chest, and shoulders.
Many teenagers get acne vulgaris, a common type of acne. There is a rise in hormone levels during puberty. These hormones are called androgens – they increase the size of your skin’s oil glands and induce sebum production.
Three processes in the skin lead to acne formation:
- Dead skin cells accumulate and clog your pores
- Oil glands produce too much oil in the hair follicles
- Propionibacterium acnes bacteria build up in your pores, triggering acne breakouts.
It’s usually a combination of hormonal imbalance, nutritional, and lifestyle stressors that may aggravate teenage acne. Genes do play a role in some cases.
While blackheads and whiteheads are the most common acne lesions, other types may form as well. Cysts – huge, painful bumps containing pus deep beneath the skin’s surface – can form at a severe stage of acne. If left untreated, such inflammatory lesions are the most likely to leave acne scars.
If You are a Teenager, Seek Help for Your Teenage Acne
In our clinic, we’ve seen a lot of teens who were stressed out because they had acne. If a face a teenager presents to the world is marred by acne, the normal stresses of adolescence can be much harder to overcome. Acne scars, marks, and blemishes are really depressing.
Acne can affect a teenager’s self-esteem, confidence and social life. Students are often teased about their appearance by their classmates, which has a negative impact on their mental health and academic performance.
As you can see, the social and emotional ramifications can last a lifetime. Seek medical attention so that you can overcome this impediment to maturing into a self-assured and well-adjusted adult, capable of reaching your full potential. Overcoming acne is a tough journey. Do not struggle alone as a young person; instead, ask your parents or friends for referrals to experienced doctors who can assist you.
How Can Parents Help?
If the pimples are mild, i.e. they are not pus-filled or painful, you can attempt to buy over-the-counter medications to treat teenage acne. You can find out more about medications in our articles on 10 tips for preventing acne, and how to create a healthy anti-acne diet.
Do not nag your teenager to use acne medication on a daily basis if you are a parent. According to research, this would backfire. Try scheduling an automatic reminder in your child’s phone calendar. You might also encourage your child to join other acne-affected friends so that they can encourage one another to remain disciplined on their acne-treatment journey.
If your child is embarrassed about going to the doctor, you should give him or her some alone time with the doctor so that they can form a healthy bond.
What if it Doesn’t Go Away?
If your pimples are painful or have pus, you should see a doctor right away. If you’ve tried over-the-counter medications and your acne still persists, it’s time to seek medical attention. No matter what, please do not try to pop your pimples yourself. It can cause acne scarring. At the end of the day, products alone will not solve your acne; you will need the advice of an acne expert.
Whether you are a teenager or a parent, we fully understand how you feel and know how to help solve your teenage acne problems. In Eeva Medical Aesthetic Clinic, we custom-design a clear skin plan for our clients. We work closely with you: we educate, stop acne, and eventually treat acne scars. We provide deep cleansing and access to clinically proven ingredients that address acne causes, so you can enjoy clear skin that lasts. Let us be the last place you go to for your acne skin treatment in Singapore, take that important step and contact our medical team now.
Article references:
- Heng, Anna Hwee Sing, and Fook Tim Chew. “Systematic Review of the Epidemiology of Acne Vulgaris.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 1 Apr. 2020, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62715-3.
- P;, Perry A;Lambert. “Propionibacterium Acnes: Infection beyond the Skin.” Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22114965/.