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| 2013-08-06All About Acne
Acne
If you’re almost a teen, chances are pretty good that you have some acne. About eight in 10 pre-teens and teens have acne, along with many adults. Acne is so common that it’s considered a normal part of growing from a child to an adult. But knowing that doesn’t make it easier when you look in the mirror and see a big pimple on your chin!
The good news is that learning about acne and taking some simple steps can help you feel better about your face.
The good news is that learning about acne and taking some simple steps can help you feel better about your face.
Acne is a skin condition that shows up as different types of bumps. They include whiteheads, blackheads, red bumps (pimples), and bumps that are filled with pus (pustules). What causes these annoying bumps?
Well, your skin is covered with tiny holes called hair follicles, or pores. Pores contain sebaceous (pronounced suh-bay-shus) glands (also called oil glands) that make sebum, an oil that moistens your hair and skin.
Most of the time the glands make the right amount of sebum, and the pores are fine. But sometimes a pore gets clogged up with too much sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria. This can cause acne.
If a pore gets clogged up, closes, and bulges out from the skin, that’s a whitehead. If a pore clogs up but stays open, the top surface can get dark and you’re left with a blackhead. Sometimes the walls of the pore are broken, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to get under the skin. This causes a small, red infection called a pimple. Clogged-up pores that open up deep in the skin can lead to bigger infections known as cysts.
Why Do So Many Teenagers Get Acne?
A lot of teens get a type of acne called acne vulgaris. It usually appears on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest. Teens get acne because of the hormone changes that come with puberty. As you grow up and your body begins to develop, these hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands can become overactive. When there is too much sebum, that oil clogs the pores and leads to acne. If your parent had acne as a teen, it’s likely that you will, too. Stress may make acne worse, because when you’re stressed, your pores may make more sebum. Luckily, for most people, acne gets better by the time they’re in their 20s.
What Can I Do About Acne?
If you’re worried about acne, here are some ways to keep pimples away:
To help prevent the oil build-up that can lead to acne, wash your face once or twice a day with warm water and a mild soap or cleanser. Don’t scrub your face. Scrubbing can actually make acne worse by irritating the skin. Wash gently, using your hands instead of a washcloth. If you wear makeup, moisturiser, or sunscreen, make sure they are oil-free. When you wash your face, take the time to remove all of your make-up. If you use hair sprays or gels, try to keep them away from your face because they can clog pores. If you have long hair, keep it away from your face and wash it regularly to reduce oil. Caps and other hats can cause pimples along the hairline. Avoid them if you think they are worsening your acne. Wash your face after you’ve been exercising and sweating a lot. Try not to touch your face. Don’t pick, squeeze, or pop pimples.
What If I Get Pimples Anyway?
Some teenagers will rarely get a pimple – those lucky ones! But many teens will get some pimples, even if they take steps to prevent acne. That is totally normal. In fact, some girls who have a handle on their acne may find that it comes out a few days before they get their period. This is a common problem called pre-menstrual acne and is caused by hormonal changes in the body. Boys undergo hormonal changes, too, and may be more likely to suffer from severe forms of acne. Acne can be treated with various products which you can buy from any supermarket or from a pharmacy. If you notice that your skin care products aren’t working for you, or you feel that your acne just keeps getting worse, it may be time for you to visit a dermatologist. Acne breakouts can give your self-esteem a severe knock, but don’t stress too much about it. Look around you, almost every teen will experience acne. You are not alone!
– kidshealth.org
Well, your skin is covered with tiny holes called hair follicles, or pores. Pores contain sebaceous (pronounced suh-bay-shus) glands (also called oil glands) that make sebum, an oil that moistens your hair and skin.
Most of the time the glands make the right amount of sebum, and the pores are fine. But sometimes a pore gets clogged up with too much sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria. This can cause acne.
If a pore gets clogged up, closes, and bulges out from the skin, that’s a whitehead. If a pore clogs up but stays open, the top surface can get dark and you’re left with a blackhead. Sometimes the walls of the pore are broken, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to get under the skin. This causes a small, red infection called a pimple. Clogged-up pores that open up deep in the skin can lead to bigger infections known as cysts.
Why Do So Many Teenagers Get Acne?
A lot of teens get a type of acne called acne vulgaris. It usually appears on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest. Teens get acne because of the hormone changes that come with puberty. As you grow up and your body begins to develop, these hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands can become overactive. When there is too much sebum, that oil clogs the pores and leads to acne. If your parent had acne as a teen, it’s likely that you will, too. Stress may make acne worse, because when you’re stressed, your pores may make more sebum. Luckily, for most people, acne gets better by the time they’re in their 20s.
What Can I Do About Acne?
If you’re worried about acne, here are some ways to keep pimples away:
To help prevent the oil build-up that can lead to acne, wash your face once or twice a day with warm water and a mild soap or cleanser. Don’t scrub your face. Scrubbing can actually make acne worse by irritating the skin. Wash gently, using your hands instead of a washcloth. If you wear makeup, moisturiser, or sunscreen, make sure they are oil-free. When you wash your face, take the time to remove all of your make-up. If you use hair sprays or gels, try to keep them away from your face because they can clog pores. If you have long hair, keep it away from your face and wash it regularly to reduce oil. Caps and other hats can cause pimples along the hairline. Avoid them if you think they are worsening your acne. Wash your face after you’ve been exercising and sweating a lot. Try not to touch your face. Don’t pick, squeeze, or pop pimples.
What If I Get Pimples Anyway?
Some teenagers will rarely get a pimple – those lucky ones! But many teens will get some pimples, even if they take steps to prevent acne. That is totally normal. In fact, some girls who have a handle on their acne may find that it comes out a few days before they get their period. This is a common problem called pre-menstrual acne and is caused by hormonal changes in the body. Boys undergo hormonal changes, too, and may be more likely to suffer from severe forms of acne. Acne can be treated with various products which you can buy from any supermarket or from a pharmacy. If you notice that your skin care products aren’t working for you, or you feel that your acne just keeps getting worse, it may be time for you to visit a dermatologist. Acne breakouts can give your self-esteem a severe knock, but don’t stress too much about it. Look around you, almost every teen will experience acne. You are not alone!
– kidshealth.org
