Being a teenager isn’t easy; it’s an awkward time for everyone no matter how “good you have it.” Acne, hormonal changes, peer pressure, and cliques are only a sample of what the worries of the day may hold for a typical teen. Challenges with skin and acne are generally at the top of the list for concerns since all teens want to put their best face forward, whether their hormones agree with this or not. We’d like to share some simple guidelines for helping your pre-teen or teen keep their skin clear and healthy and treat their acne.

Clear Choices for Treating Acne

1. Wash Your Face—seems simple, doesn’t it? With 85% of teenagers suffering from acne and breakouts, this simple step can make a world of difference in treating it. Be sure to inform your teen on the importance of washing their face, morning and night or after sweating, with a gentle cleanser to keep their skin fresh and acne free. Try to find a cleanser free of irritating sodium lauryl sulfate and keep an eye on ingredients that may be toxic to their systems. For more on this, read a recent blog post here. Be sure to instruct your teen on the importance of gently exfoliating and moisturizing as well. If your teen is prone to oily skin don’t skip the moisturizer! When skin isn’t well hydrated it will overproduce oil, leading to more breakouts.
2. Eat a Clean Diet—by limiting artificial sugars, caffeine, processed and fried foods, your teen’s body can find a balance and treat acne internally. Inflammatory foods such as these often cause flare-ups in the system that stress the body, including the skin, and can be the root of the problem for breakouts. Additionally, encourage your teen to eat more veggies, especially leafy greens. A diet high in clean veggies, lean proteins (such as chicken or fish), and antioxidant-rich foods can help keep skin clear. An added tip for treating acne is to add anti-inflammatory spices such as basil, ginger, or cinnamon to your meals to further assist your teen’s body in treating acne. To learn more about the health benefits of cinnamon, see a post here.
3. Take Vitamins—we’ve all heard it but how many of us actually take a quality multi-vitamin each day? This is important for everyone, no matter you age, but for teens especially. With the challenges to their system, a multi-vitamin is especially important to assist in proper development of their bodies but can also be instrumental in preventing dry, flaky skin, balancing hormones, keeping their digestive system healthy, while supporting proper detoxification of their bodies. What does digestion and detoxification have to do with skin? Plenty! Research has shown that healthy levels of flora in the stomach and a properly functioning digestive tract improve the skin appearance and by eliminating the toxins from the body, their skin stands a fair chance at being naturally clear. Vitamins really are instrumental in the treatment of acne but don’t expect a miracle right away! Be patient with this step and give your body time to reap the benefits of a vitamin.

Additional Tips for Treating Teen Skin

Avoid Tanning—we all like a “healthy” glow, teens especially with the pressure to fit in and conform to the norms of society for what is beautiful. Be sure to let them in on a secret: too much tanning leads to pre-mature aging, wrinkles and sun spots. 

Check Labels—in addition to avoiding toxic products in cosmetics and products applied to any part of the body, anything with oil, wax, or a paraffin base may clog pores, leading to more acne. To help your teen treat acne, be sure to steer them clear of these products.

Try Tea Tree—this essential oil helps to kill bacteria that contributes to acne when dabbed on the skin in problem areas. Tea tree oil is different from pore-clogging mineral oils and is a natural choice for treating acne. 

Don’t Squeeze!—while it may be tempting, squeezing pimples or picking at them may lead to long-term scarring and can actually push bacteria deeper into pores, causing the cycle to continue and usually a larger pimple days later.

Some of these tips may seem obvious for the treatment of acne for your teen but consider sharing and getting their opinion. Allowing your teen to feel they are making choices on their own is an important step in their development as a young adult, even with something as simple as treating acne. Check out our products for clear skin here.

Not a teen? These steps are important, no matter your age! You may also benefit from a recent post here with tips and tricks, home remedies and more for treating acne, teenager or not.