Quick Skincare Tips for Your Acne Prone Tween or Teenager

It’s no surprise that most individuals first taste of acne is at the start of puberty.  As puberty arrives bodies go through many different changes.  One change is the increase in the gonadotropin hormone levels in both girls and boys.  This triggers a cycle in those who are acne prone -of more sebum, excessive skin cell production which clog’s the pore and creates a perfect place for bacteria to grow.  This is where acne starts and the cycle from the beginning of a zit to when it reaches the surface of the skin can take three to four months.

Since most acne appears during puberty.  Typically age 9 for girls and age 11 for boys, I suggest teaching your child some healthy skincare habits beforehand.  when the acne hits you’ll have a teenager who has a good foundation of following a simple skincare routine which can help immensely in controlling their acne.  

Cleansing

Get your kids cleansing their face on a regular basis.  Clean hands and a very mild face wash is all they will need. Start by having your child cleanse in the morning either in the shower or after they brush their teeth.  Once they are consistent with cleansing in the morning add a night cleansing to their routine. 

No picking

Picking at pimples can become a bad habit quickly.  I’ve seen lot’s of “pickers” in our clinic.  One of my first priorities is to get that client to stop picking because it spreads bacteria and can cause scarring. If it seems that your child or teenager is picking maybe inquirer about the reason behind this activity.  We see picking in our clinic attributed to boredom anxiety or embarrassment over their acne. 

Moisturizing

Keeping skin moisturized is important for everyone.  I always suggest moisturizing in the morning and at night. This step would follow cleansing.  However, if this is too many steps for a younger child to follow just moisturize at night.  Reason being is that the next step “ Sunscreen” can double as the morning moisturizer.

Sunscreen

Teach your child and teenager to always wear sunscreen during the day as the last step in their skincare routine.  Sunscreen helps prevent sun burns which can lead to skin cancer, wrinkles and premature aging later in life.

Have more questions about clearing acne and helping your tween or teenager have clear skin?  Visit our website at UtahAcneClinic.com or call us at 801-800-6602

Home Skin Care-What should I be using ?

I am continually asked on a daily basis for home skincare recommendation--which is what I am trained for as an Master Esthetician and I love helping people out.

First off I want to tell you that there is a lot of "marketing hype and fluff" if you haven't already noticed around skincare lines, coupled with an enormous amount of products to choose from. With this in mind most people have absolutely no idea which products are good for them nor do they have the wallet to support buying every brand out there to try each and every product that suggests it can "clear acne, reduce oil, prevent hyper-pigmentation, lighten fine lines and wrinkles."

So here is my personal suggestion-

1. Find an Esthetician not a dermatologist. The dermatologist is good for writing prescriptions but they wouldn't spend the time with you to talk about products other than suggesting that you use Cetaphil, Neutragen or an oral or topical antibiotic.

2. Call and talk to the esthetician before you make an appointment for a facial- tell she or he your concerns, and ask if she or he sells home care products. You want to find an esthetician who sells product but also has had success with the products. If the esthetician does not sell product then your going to this person for more of a pampering experience--period. Find somebody who can give you knowledge not just massage your face!

3. Schedule your facial with the esthetician - should take about an hour. The esthetician should then spend some extra time to discuss what products would be good for your skincare concerns. Purchase the products and use them for at least 4 to 8 weeks and be diligent in using them. The esthetician should send you home with a paper that outlines how you use each product and when to use it. His or her cell phone number is also nice to get- so if you have any questions.

4.Schedule a follow up in 4 to 8 weeks to see the esthetician again. This appointment should be another facial with emphasis on how the products have been working. Some tweaking may be done by the esthetician to your regimen if needed. Other in house treatments may be added or suggested also.

5. A good skincare regimen consists of; cleanser, treatment product for your concern, moisturizer, sunscreen, mechanical and or chemical exfoliant to be used 1 to 3 times a week. Eye cream. Lost's of estheticians will say you need a toner-I believe this one is more of a personal decision.

Questions? email me jilgoorman@hotmail.com or visit my website at http://www.skintherapslc.com