Dealing with Blemishes: Getting Your Teen Back to School Part II

Anxiety about new classes, new friends, sports try-outs and 'fitting in' can keep hormones , especially testosterone, pumping non-stop for teens. Combine that with sweet snacks, fast foods and soda and you've got the makings of a major breakout. When you or your teen is ready to seriously commit to clearing your skin, you've got to consider changing more than just your skin care products.


Millie with teen actor and dermHA user Kwame Boateng


1. Change your diet. Commit to eating healthy. Fatty foods, fried foods, cow's milk, soda, juice and sweets are all suspects when talking about acne. Make water your drink of choice, switch to almond or rice milk, and snack on fresh apples, oranges and bananas.

2. Check out your hair care products. If your hairstyle requires heavy oils, gels, sprays or other fixings, its probably sealing your pores as well as your hair cuticle. Wear your hair off your face with a style that is more skin friendly. Avoid hair or oil sprays to see if skin clears.

3. Consider what else you are putting on your skin that may aggravate it. Make-up is more popular than ever with teens. Unfortunately, covering up your blemises will cause big problems if bacteria, sweat and oils are sealed in already congested skin. Focus on clearing up and change to a light mineral powder. Never cover infected skin with make-up or cover-up.

4. Check medications that may stimulate acne such as steroids, oral contraceptives, phenobarbital and high levels of iodine.

5. Friction and sweating caused by tight collars, head/sweat bands, backpacks, bike or sports helmets should be monitored and avoided if possible. Keep clothing loose, secure backpacks so they don't rub and make sure helmets and cleaned and wiped down with alcohol regularly.

6. Don't pick! When you do have a blemish, picking or squeezing them can cause them to spread. After cleansing, use a drop of tea-tree oil on inflamed pustules or blemishes to kill the bad bacteria but not the good.


Remember, having acne doesn't mean that your skin is dirty. Overcleansing skin, washing your face more than twice a day, can actually make acne worse. Make sure that you are using a good cleanser that doesn't over dry sin. In addition to your cleanser and moisturizer, using a tonic with zinc and non-alcoholic witch hazel can fight bacteria while soothing irritation from blemished skin. Acne can be dealt with, don't give up. Taking care of your body holistically and knowing what triggers or exacerbates your acne will help you take better care of your skin.



Be Beautiful!
Millie