Teen years? Remember back when? Do you have one or more at home? It can be a wonderful time for a parent watching your youngster emerge into a young adult with ideas and thoughts that you have helped form and yet they are all their own! This time of life is full of confidence, or should be, however sometimes it is an awkward stage of life when the sky can feel like its falling in and as a parent it is really difficult to know what to do whilst watching your child struggle.
Sometimes it has to do with their skin. If this is you and your teen, boy or girl, and you’ve watched their confidence suffer as their their baby soft face has changed, becoming rough, dry or oily with pimples or congested with blackheads and just always looking dirty it might be that some education is all you both need. Peer group information and Dr Google are not always right for each skin. We constantly are asked by our mum and dad clients about their teen’s skin so what better thing to share with you. For further reading about how hormones create the oily, pimple prone skin simply follow this link for further information and then show it to your teen. Congestion, blackheads, whiteheads, breakouts and full blown acne are discussed.
- Keep hydrated. Water flushes out toxins and keeps cellular functioning normal. Congested & pimply skin is often dehydrated so fix this first and clearer skin will follow. Water also helps to build surface collagen, keeping the area around the pores strong which assists in minimising scar formation.
- Keep everything around the skin/face area scrupulously clean. This includes eye brow tweezers, hair brushes, bed linen and clothes – hats and scarves.
- Do NOT pick at pimples, try to pop them or fiddle with them in any way.
- Do not strip the skin. The skin’s surface changes with puberty creating new oils which are essential for a healthy skin. Harsh scrubs and cleansers may only increase congestion and create a more oily surface rather than helping the problem.
- Use a light, non-pore clogging physical sunblock daily. Too many UV’s simply inhibit normal cell function and increases the inflammation already present in the skin.
We recommend the Teen Aspect Starter Kit OR Aspect Problem Skin Kit at this age. If you want specialised assistance simply complete an online skin consultation. One of our experienced skin advisors will email you with ideas and solutions for yours and/or your teens skin concerns. Alternatively, it may be that you would like to see your child started on a good and healthy skin care regime before problems arise – aren’t they lucky to have you in their lives!
Another issue that starts to impact teens skin is the application of makeup… it is a part of popular culture today and unfortunately most of the readily available ‘fun and affordable’ cosmetics are simply adding to the teen/hormonal skin dramas. Meagan has kindly put together her most common queries by parents and teens about makeup during this particular stage to help you both make informed sensible decisions.
Two Perfect Skin Care Kits
Teenage skin changes quickly (hormones, thanks again!) and while harsh products can feel helpful initially they make the problem worse in the long run (read more on our acne page). We have 2 amazing kits; one for tweens and one for teens, especially formulated containing the right ingredients for each age group, of course with no nasties and made with true science so they will be effective and simple for your busy teen – without stripping their skin. Read more about them to see if these simple (and affordable!) kits can make the difference you are both looking for to help your teens skin.
Three Sunblocks to choose from that we know your teen will love: Aspect Dry Touch, Colorescience Brush SPF 50 and the CosMedix Reflect Spray on SPF.
From age 12 to 20 and onwards, hormones can play an enormous part in how your child matures emotionally and socially. Get it right from day one and you’ll both have smiles on your faces and a confident young person!
Extra reading
You’ve heard us rave about this before – but water is essential for healthy skin – find out why!
Gut health – Discover why what you eat can give you a pimple, make your skin feel awful, look dirty and how changing your diet can change all that!
Still not sure?
If you need more help or would like personalised advice on what skincare products are best for you, book now for your consultation with a skin care advisor:
Book Your In-Clinic Consultation.
Or fill in the Online Skin Consultation and Gaye, our registered nurse, will happily help you to choose the right treatments and products for your skin type or concern.
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