Best Face
Forward - Coping with
Teenage Acne
Whether
correct or not, our society
teaches children that how
they look is as important as
who they are--often more
important. These lessons can
lead to horrific
ramifications. Depression,
eating disorders,
self-isolation or society
anxiety are all conditions
that can result from the
pressure teens feel to "look
good." So what can teens do
when such conditions are
caused by acne?
With
proper education and
treatment, teens can stop
worrying about their skin
and concentrate on what's
really important to them:
their lives.
About 95
percent of American teens
suffer from acne, according
to the American Academy of
Dermatology. As some cases
are less severe than others,
teens may be able to conceal
their skin condition with
makeup, tinted skin
treatments or by using their
hair or clothing to conceal
affected areas.
"Because
[a teen’s] image has been
interfered with by the
pimples, camouflage is very
important," says Dr. Sadia
Baxt, a certified
dermatologist in Paramus,
N.J. "Certainly young girls
who are going to school can
use makeup to cover their
pimples so they have an
enhanced view of themselves.
I’ve even given a tinted
cream to the boys that
allows them makeup-like
coverage for their pimples,
as it gives them the
camouflage they need and
want."
Michelle
Smith, a writer from Chico,
Calif., recalls the
frustration of having acne
when she was 13. "I would
get [blemishes] on my chin,
the sides of my face along
my jaw line, my chest, and
my back and shoulders. I
would wear clothes that
covered them or long hair to
hide my acne," Smith says.
"I can remember walking
around trying to hide my
face with my books or
leaning with my hand
covering my pimples. It was
such an awful thing --
feeling ugly."
Diet
Plays a Small Role
One of the most common
misconceptions regarding
acne is that eating
chocolate or greasy foods
causes breakouts. Yet, Baxt
says, only a small
percentage of cases are
actually inflamed by diet.
"There is no scientific
evidence that diet plays a
role with adolescent acne,"
Baxt says. "I do feel that
stimulants in the diet may
play a role in the pustule
component of acne -- the
white heads. However, in
adult acne, diet may play a
role and some teenagers have
an adult form of acne. So I
advise the teens I treat to
stay away from alcohol,
caffeine, shellfish and
nuts."
Acne’s
association with adolescence
and unclean skin causes
teens to fear how they are
viewed by their peers. Fear
of judgment can often have
an impact on self-esteem and
self-worth.
Self-Esteem Sinks
"I often see teens too late
in the development of acne
to help with [self-esteem]
as an issue," Baxt says.
"There are so many myths
that have been perpetrated
about pimples on the
adolescent population. Teens
tend to feel dirty and that
no one is going to accept
them or the way they look.
"Parents
often think 'They have
pimples, I had pimples, it's
just teenage acne and it
will go away by itself.' But
while it is going away by
itself -- which usually gets
worse before it gets better
-- the whole concept of the
teenager being judged by his
peers ... is a significant
factor and plays a large
part in how teens feel about
themselves."
Self-esteem problems
associated with acne are
never as clear as when they
happen to you. "I had always
had pimples growing up, but
it became much worse as I
got older,: says Jennifer
Reno, a registered nurse
from southeastern Michigan.
"At 17, the {acne} became
quite bad. It was worst on
my face. I was very
conscious about it. My
self-esteem at that time was
incredibly low... I didn't
really withdraw from
activities, but I was more
aware of looking different,
and wondered how people
perceived me."
Treat It
Early
When should parents seek
treatment for their teen's
skin blemishes? The sooner
the better.
"Parents
who have children and teens
who are just starting to
show signs of acne -- and
who themselves have had a
strong history of acne --
should know that it's time
to get [their children] into
the dermatologist," Baxt
says. "That's where a lot of
the focus should be -- get
these kids in early enough
to be treated. I don't think
you make a teen
self-conscious by saying,
'You know, I noticed you
have been buying
over-the-counter things for
your face and maybe it is
time we see somebody about
it.' You have to figure out
where your teen is and be
responsive."
Understanding what acne is
should be the first step in
treatment. It’s a
multifactor disease, with no
single cause, says Baxt.
It’s also an inflammatory
disease. "Rubbing, picking
and manipulating, and hot
water are not going to help
an inflammatory disease,
they are going to make it
more inflamed," she says.
Instead,
Baxt suggests teens wash
with cool or lukewarm water,
using their fingertips -- no
scrubbing or buff-puffing --
and applying
over-the-counter treatments.
If your teen’s skin doesn't
respond to this treatment, a
dermatologist may be needed.
Contrary
to social beliefs, all acne
is not responsive to the
same products. What works
for one teen may not work
for another. "The problem is
you have to know what kind
of acne is present to treat
it properly," Baxt says.
"There are a lot of
over-the-counter products
that are very effective --
benzoyl peroxide, salicylic
acid -- for people who have
oily skin and acne. The
problem comes with people
with sensitive or dry skin,
as some of these products
are extremely harsh. They
may not do as well with
these over-the-counter
products and they usually
need some professional
help."
Cause
Could Be Medical
If a teen has sought a
dermatologist’s help without
success, the acne’s cause
may be medical. Hormonal
abnormalities, ovarian
conditions, thyroid
difficulties and even
diabetes can contribute to
the presence of acne. "There
are systemic diseases that
are associated with acne.
This is especially true in
adults and in teens that are
unresponsive to acne
treatments," Baxt says.
"Polycystic ovaries, thyroid
problems and diabetes are
all associated with acne. It
shouldn't be considered that
this is just acne and it
will go away. If it doesn't
go away or respond to
treatment, other issues
should be looked at. A
dermatologist can help guide
the parent and the teen into
what should be evaluated."
Acne is
treatable
Teens do not have
to live blemish-filled
lives, trying everything on
the market or hiding their
face to avoid being seen.
"Acne is not a fact of life
you have to accept," Baxt
says. "You can win the
battle over acne."
