Is Confidence The Best Cure For Acne?
Acne can feel like the end of the world for a teen — and for parents, watching them struggle with breakouts, low self-esteem, and frustration can be just as hard. Acne afflicts around 90 percent of adolescents, and while your teen is far from alone, that doesn't make it any easier. Helping your teen survive acne isn't just about finding the right skincare routine, it's about empowering them, and reminding them that their self-worth isn't about having perfect skin. It's about helping them build the mental resilience to overcome this and other challenges life throws at us. Here are 20 strategies to help your kid survive acne.
1. Help Them Find The Right Skincare Routine
Skincare does not have a "one-size-fits-all" solution. Everyone has a different skin type. Read up about this to help your teen find the right skincare routine for their skin.
2. Remind Them Occasionally To Use Acne Treatment
If you can remember being a teen, you can probably recall loathing when your parents would nag you about things, so much so that you'd want to do the exact opposite of what they said. Studies have found fewer reminders from parents are more effective than daily pestering.
3. Take Them To A Dermatologist
Medical professionals can help if your teen is experiencing moderate to severe acne. They might prescribe antibiotics or hormonal treatments that you can't get over the counter. Sometimes the best strategy is to help set up the appointment, but let your teen go in alone so they aren't filtering themself in front of you.
4. Help Them Manage Stress
Stress produces the stress hormone cortisol in the body which increases oil production in your skin that can lead to clogged pores and acne. Help your teen find strategies for de-stressing like practicing good sleep hygiene, mindfulness, and exercising.
5. Encourage Them To Use Less Makeup
Your teen might be tempted to reach for the concealer when they're experiencing acne, but makeup contains oils and silicones that clog pores. Encourage your teen to go makeup-free more often or at least remind them to remove their makeup every night.
6. Treat Acne Early
Don't wait until it's already out of hand. Be proactive about acne treatment as the longer you wait, the higher the risk of scarring. Acne treatment takes time to work so getting ahead of it can prevent needing more intense treatment.
7. Remind Them Not To Touch Their Face
Touching your face can contribute to acne because it transfers bacteria from your hands onto your face and into your pores. Most of us touch our faces unconsciously so some gentle nudges might be all your teen needs to break the habit.
8. Buy Noncomedogenic Makeup Products
Many teen girls insist on wearing makeup and arguing with them will just be futile. Instead, focus on buying them noncomedogenic makeup products that are designed specifically to not clog pores.
9. Take Acne Seriously
Acne might not seem like a serious problem to you: after all, your kid is physically healthy, safe, and secure, and acne is just an aesthetic problem that will go away with time. However, you have to remember that this probably feels like the end of the world in the mind of your teenager. It can contribute to mental health issues and can even lead to social withdrawal so take it seriously and start treating it early.
10. Remind Them It's Temporary
Small things can feel like the world is crumbling when you're that age so make sure to remind your teen that this is temporary and common. It might affect their day-to-day now, but in five years, they won't even remember it.
11. Find Ways To Empower Them
Remind your teen that their self-worth has nothing to do with their skin. Find ways to boost their confidence by helping them take charge of their health and investing in activities they're good at.
12. Practice Good Hygiene
Model good hygiene in your households such as washing hands regularly, showering after exercise, following a skincare routine yourself, and avoiding picking and squeezing. Forming this healthy habit early can help combat acne.
13. Normalize It
Acne affects around 90 percent of adolescents. While you should take it seriously and be proactive about treatment, remind your teen that it's not the end of the world. It's a normal, albeit frustrating, part of growing up.
14. Change Pillowcases Often
Pillowcases collect oil, sweat, and bacteria which can clog pores and cause acne. Dirt on pillowcases can also cause mico-irritation that worsens inflammation and breakouts so make sure to change or wash them two to three times a week for acne-prone skin. Also, use fragrance-free detergent and try silk or satin pillowcases to avoid irritating the skin.
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15. Buy Acne-Safe Sunscreen
Sunscreen is another culprit for acne as sunscreen formulas are often excessively greasy. Make sure to buy sunscreens that are specially designed for acne-prone skin.
16. Encourage Water Intake
Drinking water supports your skin from the inside out. When you're well hydrated, your skin cells are too, helping maintain elasticity and balance oil production. Make sure you're sending your teen off to school and elsewhere with a big water bottle.
17. Celebrate Progress
Treating acne is a slow process. It might take a long time before you see any change. Celebrate progress, not perfection.
18. Validate Their Feelings
While you should help your teen realize that acne is just a part of growing up, don't dismiss their feelings either. Help them cope and relieve some emotional pressure by encouraging them to talk about their feelings, even if it sounds overly dramatic to you.
19. Practice Patience
Acne treatments generally take six to 12 weeks to show results and even then, the improvements might not be that noticeable. Be patient as it takes time, consistency, and effort.
20. Consider Diet Triggers
Certain foods like white bread, sugary snacks, dairy, and fast food, can exacerbate acne. While you should encourage your teen to have a healthy relationship with food and not be overly restrictive, it's also a good idea to avoid having too make of these triggering foods in the house. Buy anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids instead.
