Being a teenager can be kinda stressful. Adolescence is filled with emotional and physical changes and it’s a whirlwind of AP calculus, curfews, and boy drama, so the last thing you need to be worrying about is your skincare regime.
Understanding Teenage Skin
The first step of any good skincare regime is understanding our skin. During teen years, our hormone levels spike, which in skin terms equals one thing: oiliness. The main aim of the skincare regime should be dedicated to balancing your skin and controlling oil production. The rising levels of testosterone also increase sebum (oil) production, making breakouts more likely as the buildup of oil blocks your pores and encourages blackheads and pimples to form. Plus, as kids go through puberty, they start to produce more keratin (a protein that protects the upper layers of your dermis), which makes your skin thicker, and therefore it contributes to blocked pores.
Here are some simple steps that can help keep teen skin healthy and glowing.
Tip 1: It Is Not Too Early To Start
In the teen years, it is vital to begin taking care of your skin, so you have a healthy foundation as you age. The habits you develop when you’re younger are the ones you keep throughout your life. Taking care of ourselves and our skin will pay you forward.
Tip 2: Wash your face every. Single. morning and night!
Do not go to bed with a dirty face! Period. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t wear a stitch of makeup; your skin needs to be cleaned of all the impurities it encounters during the day. Otherwise, the dirt and bacteria, along with excess oil can cause breakouts. Acne bacteria [spawns] baby bacteria every 12 hours, so using treatments once a day at night is not enough.
Tip 3: Moisturizer is super important. Yes, even for oily and acne-prone skin.
The more moisture you give skin, the less it makes on its own. Moisturizing actually helps [oily] skin self-regulate. Grab oil-free, non-comedogenic lotions or creams formulated with ingredients that strengthen or repair skin’s barrier function - namely ceramides and niacinamide, which you’ll see on the ingredients lists.
Tip 4: Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen - for everyone and every skin tone
Every day, rain or shine, clouds or sun, whether you’re going to school, to run errands, to play sports, or to the beach or park. Apply SPF 30+ is part of the morning routine for our entire family.
SPF is important not only for preventing skin cancer but also for wrinkles and other signs of aging that will come to haunt you years down the road if you skimp now. It's a common misconception to think that your skin’s melanin will protect you. Sun protection is important with ant skin tone! Plus, skin of color is prone to discoloration, and dark spots will get darker when exposed to the sun if you don’t wear protection.
Check out mineral-based products (look for zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide on ingredient lists).
Tip 5: Tackle acne gently and be smart about how you use acne treatments
Higher levels of hormones that develop during puberty are associated with oilier hair and breakouts. These hormones are known as androgens, and they can aggravate your skin by increasing oil and sebum production. This excess sebum, combined with dead skin cells, clogs the pores and invites bacteria to proliferate.
For some teens, that reaction is just a pimple or the occasional breakout. For others, consistent breakouts create acne, a chronic condition characterized by comedones (blackheads), papules, pustules, and cysts. There are a lot of different ingredients that effectively clear and prevent breakouts. One reason they work so well: They’re strong, and if you’re not careful and smart, they’ll leave skin even more red and irritated than pimples can. The more irritation, the less you’ll want to use the treatment, so you’ll just be back at square one with your acne.
Tip 6: Keep your hand off
I know it’s tempting but by poking and squeezing you will most likely irritate your skin or don’t extract the pimple fully and spread the bacteria. Try pimple patches instead with salicylic acid to help drain whiteheads, clear out the clogged pore and reduce redness.
Tip 7: Last but not least see a professional
It is important to consult with your esthetician or dermatologist to make sure that you are using the correct products in the right way and getting regular professional treatments for your skin conditions. Some cases of advanced acne will require medication, so consulting a professional early on will help diagnose your skin condition and avoid prolonged breakouts and potential scarring.
Sara was born and raised in the Czech Republic. In 2012, she moved to the US and worked many jobs but never felt fulfilled, which lead her to share her story and her passion for fitness (former fitness professional), nutrition tips (vegan) and makeup. She is also a new mom. Sara and her husband welcomed their baby boy in June 2020.
Sara is a makeup junkie at heart and decided to start her own business to help women look and feel their best. She loves supporting other business moms feel beautiful inside and out as they work to create their own destinies. You could find out more about her HERE.
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