Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Getting rid of acne through self-care
• Part 2 of 2: Using acne medications
• Tips

Acne is a skin condition caused by inflammation of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. It is a known problem among teenagers due to hormonal changes in the body and possibly insufficient cleansing of the skin and incorrect eating habits. Acne affects an estimated 85% of teenagers, usually from the age of 11 in girls and a few years later in boys. Effective acne treatment includes thorough cleansing, exfoliating, dietary changes and the use of effective medications.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Getting rid of acne through self-care

1. Wash your face regularly. Teenage acne is caused by a variety of factors, but removing excess oil and dirt from your face at least twice a day can help prevent pores from becoming clogged and inflamed. Use an oil-free cleanser to thoroughly wash your entire face in the morning (especially in areas more prone to acne), just before going to bed, and after strenuous activity.
   • Washing your face gently and regularly is certainly helpful, but too much scrubbing can irritate pimples (blackheads) and lead to increased inflammation and redness.
   • Use mild cleansers such as Cetaphil, Aveeno or Neutrogena.
   • In the early teens, the skin's sebaceous glands produce more sebum (oil) through hormonal changes, which clog pores and stimulate hair follicles. Sometimes bacteria grow in the blocked pores, causing more inflammation, redness and blemishes.
2. Don't forget to exfoliate. Exfoliating is also important for healthy skin, as it removes the top layer of dead cells and helps clear clogged pores and get rid of blackheads. Use facial exfoliating wipes and make sure both the wipe and your face are wet / damp. Apply a small amount of the mild facial cleanser (see above) to the cloth and scrub it over your face in circular motions. Rinse with water and dry your face thoroughly (by blotting) with a clean cloth or paper towel.
   • You shouldn't exfoliate your face every time you wash - otherwise it could irritate your skin. Scrub about two to three times a week.
   • Make sure to sanitize the scrubs after use. Spray some hydrogen peroxide over the wipes after use, or put them in the microwave for a minute or so - either method will kill bacteria and most types of fungi.
3. Consider using herbal remedies. There are many herbal remedies that teens and adults use to combat acne attacks, although some scientific studies indicate their effectiveness is limited. Some act as antiseptics (kill bacteria), while others are anti-inflammatory or antioxidants, and some are exfoliating (peeling). Common herbal remedies for acne include: tea tree oil, lemon juice, azelaic acid cream, licorice root extract, raw (unripe) papaya, green tea extract and aloe vera gel.Applying herbal lotions and ointments to the blemishes may be more effective in the evening (after exfoliating the area), as the medicinal compounds in the plant can then penetrate deeper under the top layer of the skin. Herbal treatments must be maintained for a few weeks to be effective.
   • For acute (inflamed) acne, aloe vera is a good choice for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, as well as its powerful ability to heal the skin.
   • Tea tree oil has a strong antibacterial effect and is a good choice to apply on blemishes. Be careful as the tea tree oil can irritate the skin in some people.
   • Lemon juice extract (mainly citric and ascorbic acid) not only kills bacteria and removes oil from pores, but can also help whiten older blemishes and acne scars. Although most people do not recommend this method, as it can cause skin irritation, sensitivity to sunlight, and bleached skin.
4. Avoid touching your face. Many teens have a habit of touching their face and picking their blemishes unknowingly, but that only makes acne worse. Bacteria can easily be transferred from your hands and nails to your face, where they grow in the clogged pores. Therefore, you should not rest your head in your hands or sleep with your face touching your arms or hands.
   • Squeezing pimples may seem like a quick and easy fix, but it can lead to inflammation, infection and scarring. Leaving the skin and acne alone will give you smoother and smoother skin in the long run.
   • Many dermatologists recommend that you avoid squeezing your blemishes yourself. Instead, you better go to a skin specialist.
5. Don't overuse makeup and lotions. During an acne outbreak, make-up is best used as little as possible, as it can easily contribute to clogged pores and promote the formation of blemishes. Lipstick and eyeshadow is probably fine, but avoid applying heavy foundation, face powder, and blush to acne-affected areas - especially avoid oil-based cosmetics. The same goes for moisturizers. While moisturizing your face is helpful for the prevention and control of acne and dry skin caused by some acne medications, you should use water-based, not oil-based lotions and creams.
   • When choosing makeup for acne-prone skin, it is best to choose "oil-free", "non-comedogenic", "water-based", "mineral-based" or "non-acneic".
   • Oil-free lotions (such as Complex 15, Cetaphil, Aveeno, and Eucerin) and sunscreen (Neutrogena or Coppertone oil-free sunscreen) are good choices if you have acne.
   • When using moisturizers, buy brands labeled "non-comedogenic pH balanced," meaning it is not too acidic and will not block your pores.
6. Continue to drink and eat healthy. To keep the skin healthy, you need a lot of water and essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids. You lose water in large quantities every day, so you have to replenish it regularly. Unfortunately, your skin is usually the last organ to receive water. Therefore, try to drink 8 glasses (à 250 ml) of pure water daily. The skin also needs nutrients, so avoid junk foods with refined sugars and prefer whole grains, beans, nuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
   • Foods that spike your blood sugar, such as simple sugars found in candies, cookies and refined grains, cause insulin overproduction and then oil production in your skin's sebaceous glands.
   • Foods rich in vitamin C are papaya, citrus fruits and strawberries - vitamin C is needed for making collagen in the skin.
   • Some people are allergic to dairy products (and not just lactose intolerant) so their acne outbreaks can be triggered by drinking dairy products and eating cheese, chocolate or ice cream. This is unusual; however, some experts believe that consuming excess dairy products can trigger acne attacks in some people.

Part 2 of 2: Using acne medications

1. Try products that contain benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in many over-the-counter medicines because it can kill bacteria, open sebaceous glands and heal acne / blemishes. Start gently by applying 2.5% or 5% gel or lotion once a day after washing your face in the evening. After about a week, apply it twice a day for at least a few weeks and see if the acne goes away. If this does not happen, start the procedure again with a 10% solution. You need a doctor's prescription for any product stronger than 10%.
   • You should see some improvement after about four to six weeks, so be patient and keep using the product as directed. Do this regularly, either daily (or even a few times a week), after the acne clears, to keep it from coming back.
   • Benzoyl peroxide products tend to dry out the skin, so consider using a water-based moisturizer.
   • Benzoyl peroxide is available in lotions, gels, creams, ointments, cleaners and foams, in almost all pharmacies.
2. Experiment with alpha hydroxy acids (AHA). AHA such as glycolic acid and lactic acid have been used for years by dermatologists to treat acne, usually as a facial peel, and are applied in 20% -30% solutions. The acids cause the top layer of the skin to be shed, thus having an exfoliating effect on acne. Many over-the-counter products, such as facial cleansers and moisturizers, contain a concentration of 4% -6% AHA. These products can be used daily as a facial cleanser to ward off acne, but the stronger solutions are more successful in fighting an acne breakout.
   • AHA can sting a little after application and initially make acne and surrounding skin appear red and irritated, before recovery begins.
   • Many well-known manufacturers of skin care products (Olaz, Ponds, Clinique, Neutrogena) use AHAs.
   • You can also try beta hydroxy acids, such as salicylic acid.
3. Ask your doctor about retinoids. Retinoids are a group of drugs derived from Vitamin A (such as Retinol, Retin-A, Stieva-A, Avita, Tazorac) that direct skin cell growth and differentiation, reduce inflammation, prevent bacterial growth and enhance your immune response. Retinoids can be very effective when used against acne, although they often cause a lot of peeling when you first apply them and can make the skin very sensitive to sunlight. Retinoids are incorporated into many over-the-counter products, but stronger topical medications and pills still require a doctor's prescription.
   • Retinoids should only be applied to acne at night as it makes the skin more prone to sunburn.
   • Retinoids are a great choice for long-term use in the treatment and prevention of acne, as well as reducing acne scarring.
   • Retinoids may take two to three months for your acne to clear up, and your skin may look worse for the first few weeks, but be patient and stick with it.
   • Studies suggest that Tazorac (0.1% cream) is most effective in treating acne, pustules (blackheads).
   • A very strong oral prescription retinoid called Accutane (isotretinoin) is only for teenagers who suffer from severe cystic acne (large painful pustules) with many scars. It is highly anti-inflammatory and reduces the size of the sebaceous glands.
4. Consider prescription antibiotics. The growth of bacteria in clogged skin pores is a common cause of blackheads or pimples. So antibiotic creams or ointments can be useful in the treatment of acute (inflamed) acne, which is similar to a skin infection. Topical antibiotics are often combined with retinoids or benzoyl peroxide for the first few months of treatment - sort of a one-two punch for acne. When combined, the topical antibiotics are applied in the morning and the topical retinoid in the evening before going to bed.
   • Combined products contain, for example, clindamycin with benzoyl peroxide (Benzaclin, Duac, Acanya) and erythromycin with benzoyl peroxide (Benzamycin) or clindamycin and Tretinoin (Ziana).
   • Antibiotic pills (oral) are more effective in treating moderate to severe acne caused by overactive sebaceous glands, but they cause more side effects (upset stomach, nausea, dizziness, and sun sensitivity) than topical treatments. The most common are tetracyclines, such as minocycline and doxycycline.
   • Oral antibiotics are usually only used for a few months to reduce larger acne bumps, while the topical treatments have time to take effect.

Tips

• Your pillowcase is very likely to contain bacteria, grease, dust and other acne-activating substances, so change it often - at least a few times a week.
• The acne that some teens get is different from the kind that affects adults. "Acne vulgaris" is common among teenagers and is caused by major hormonal changes in the body.
• Heredity (genetics) plays a role in acne, as does its severity. If your mother and / or your father has suffered from severe acne, the risk that you will get it is also higher.
• Anyone can get acne, but teenage boys are often more affected as they produce more skin oils due to increased testosterone levels.
• Talk to your doctor or dermatologist if you are unsure of what to use for acne, or if what you are using is not working properly. Your dermatologist can also suggest alternative treatments, such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser or light therapy, to cleanse your skin.
• If you're not sure which acne product to start with, choose one with benzoyl peroxide. It is effective and well-tolerated by most people, and you will usually see results within a week.
• Don't use oil products on your face or your acne could get worse. Check the ingredients of a product to make sure it does not contain oil.
• Another great tip is to use toothpaste. In the evening, spend some time in an active place, and it may be better the next morning.
• Oral contraceptives (birth control) can be an effective acne treatment for teenage girls. These pills regulate hormonal imbalances and limit overactive sebaceous glands. Side effects include nausea, weight gain, increased risk of blood clots and breast tenderness.
• Toothpaste and salt work really well too.