Helping your teen cope with acne
Worried about your teenager’s acne? Not as much as they are! A UK study of about 1500 people – teenagers (13-17 years of age) and their parents – found that for teens, appearance is the single most important issue in their lives. In fact, they would give up Facebook for a year, drop grades at school, or even take a parent to their high school formal if it meant they didn’t have to suffer with acne.
So how can you best help your teen cope with temperamental skin? A good first step is ensuring you’re well informed, so you’ve come to the right place. We’ve pooled the experience and expertise of the All About Acne experts to develop an expanded parent section. Some quick tips for parents from All About Acne co-chair, Professor Kurt Gebauer include:
- Take acne seriously. Acne is a real medical condition and more than ‘just a part of growing up’. It can also have a devastating physical and psychological impact so always take your child’s acne concerns seriously.
- Science, not celebrities. Don’t spend a lot of money for products spruiked by celebrities to help with acne. Decisions need to be tailored to the individual’s needs and that’s something that requires a healthcare professional, not a celebrity.
- Give treatments time. There is no such thing as a ‘quick fix’ for acne. Any treatment option may take up to eight weeks to have a noticeable effect. Supervise your child to ensure the medication is used exactly as directed and if the acne doesn’t start to improve within eight weeks, go back to your doctor.
- Be gentle with their skin. Be sure to tell your children that you can’t scrub away acne. Gentle cleansing with a non-soap cleanser and warm water in the morning, evening and after sweaty activities is recommended. Make it as routine as teeth brushing.
- Scarring can be prevented. Early, effective treatment of moderate to severe acne can prevent scarring. Picking or squeezing of pimples can cause scarring, so discourage your youngsters from picking at their skin.
With around 85 percent of teens likely to be affected by acne to some degree, you owe it to your children to be well informed and know where to seek more help if needed. Just start here on our Parent page.
