Teenage Acne: How to Get Rid of It Effectively
Almost everyone can identify with teenage acne. Most teenagers have had a zit show up at the worst possible time (about 85% of them, according to studies). It could be right before the biggest date of your life, with the heartthrob you’ve been dreaming about. Or maybe on the morning of your school picture.
Some teenagers have more serious teenage acne problems, though. More serious cases of teenage acne can continue into adulthood and may even lead to permanent scarring.
Why Does That Acne Show Up?
It might be better to start with reasons that are known NOT to cause teenage acne. There are a few myths that seem to live on and on, no matter how often disproven. They include:
- Chocolate
- Greasy foods
- Poor general hygiene
The good news is that these things are generally not causes of teenage acne or any other acne. There may be exceptions to this, and you will know if that’s the case. For example, if you always break out after eating chocolate, it could be affecting you in some way.
If you know from experience that something makes your teenage acne act up, you need to avoid it. As a general rule, however, none of these things lead to acne for everyone.
The cause of teenage acne or any other acne is not fully known. There are factors that can lead to it that are known, however.
The reason that acne shows up for so many teenagers is thought to be related to their hormone levels. When puberty starts, your body starts producing androgens. These are a male hormone that show up in both girls and boys.
Boys have higher levels of androgens, which is thought to be the reason that teenage acne tends to be more of a problem for them than for girls.
How You Can Control Your Acne
There are many ways to treat teenage acne. Some are more severe than others, and it will depend on your particular situation. Everybody’s skin type is different, as are the causes of acne, so there is no single answer for everyone.
Some of the common acne and pimple remedies include:
- Natural/herbal remedies
- Over-the-counter medications
- Acupuncture
- Surgery
One of the most important things you can do to help control your acne is to not pick it. Picking your pimples, zit popping and excessive scrubbing can aggravate your skin and cause acne to spread. It can also lead to scarring, so as hard as it can be not to, don’t pick your acne.
A good acne face wash/cleanser is another way to help deal with your acne. There are many products available, and the best for you will depend on factors such as your skin type.
You can find out more about skin care products on our Acne Skin Care Products page. If you are interested in learning more about natural remedies, take a look at our Natural Acne Treatment page.