Do you remember how tough the teenage years were? Navigating not only rapidly changing emotions and mounting stress due to increased academic expectations, but also combatting anxiety-inducing bodily changes like acne! So stressful! Adolescence and puberty often bring about acne as a teen’s body goes through those standard hormonal changes. During that time, a skin care professional can help assess the situation and prescribe medication as necessary or recommend home treatments.

In the meantime, though, as with many common issues, prevention is key to solid skin health! That’s why we put together some teen tips for managing acne:

Acne management tips:

• Resist the urge to pop pimples – popping, scratching, or rubbing at pimples can often lead to permanent scarring and slow the healing process.
• Wash your face regularly – washing morning and night will go a long way to clean and clear up your face. Contrary to popular belief, acne isn’t caused by dirt, grime, or general uncleanliness, so there’s not need to get aggressive with the washing! Just a gentle massage with your fingertips will do the trick.
• Moisturize – oil-free, hypo-allergenic products are best for moisturizing your face after a good wash.
• Go light on makeup – if you do use makeup, use it sparingly and always go for products that are oil-free.
• Keep your hair up – it’s tempting to try to let your hair cover up some blemishes on your forehead, but the natural oils in your hair can exacerbate the issue. If you have long hair, try to pull it out of any area with acne.

Acne is a normal part of almost every person’s adolescence. As with any skin change or issue, your dermatologist is there to help plan how to treat and manage acne. Here at Old Bridge Dermatology, Dr. Juan Vaillant can help you address your acne, or any other skin, nail, or hair issue you are experiencing. To schedule an appointment at our convenient Old Bridge, NJ office, call us today at 732-679-0222.