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The teen years are usually when acne begins. This is due to the beginning of puberty and the accompanying release of hormones. In fact, it is hormones that cause acne, not chocolate, fried foods, or sexual activity; all of these are myths about the causes of acne that are common among teens.
As the body begins producing hormones, this causes the oil glands in the skin to become over-active. This extra oil combines with dead skin cells (normally shed by skin) and causes tiny hair follicles to become clogged. In some of these clogged pore, bacteria will become trapped, and grow, causing more skin to become irritated. These are the ingredients for the beginnings of a pimple, which are usually either "whiteheads" or "blackheads". The main difference between the two is that "blackheads" are clogged pores which are very near the surface of the skin; close enough that air touches it and turns it black. There is no dirt in a blackhead, contrary to popular rumors.
Sometimes, the pimple will not develop a white or black head, but instead just swells up into a painful, red bump. This is a sign that the follicle wall has broken deep inside the skin, and is called a nodule, or cystic acne. Most plugged hair follicles, however, have walls which break near the skin, thus become a white-tipped, pus-filled pimple that we all know and hate. -
Acne can cause red blotches, inflammation of the skin, blemishes, scars and even infection. Most of these things arise from bad habits that many teens engage in when they have acne, such as vigorous scrubbing of the skin, picking at or "popping" a pimple, or using oil-based makeup or hair products. All of the above will only aggravate the acne, and should be avoided.
There are several types of more serious acne than the occasional pimple, and all can greatly affect the skin of a teenager. Acne vulgaris is the name for a mixture of blackheads, whiteheads, inflamed lesions ("squeezable" pimples and inflamed red bumps) and secondary lesions, which are scars or marks left over from older attacks of acne.
Acne fulminans is a rare type of acne that is found mostly in males. It can cause fever and joint aches and pains. In addition, Acne fulminans can cause a loss of weight, an absence of appetite, and a high white blood cell count. Acne fulminans often spreads to the chest and back and should be aggressively treated in a doctor's care. -
To a teenager, social life is of utmost importance, and nothing ruins a good social life more than a bad case of acne. The psychological effects of acne can be devastating to many teenagers. They may feel ugly, or believe that other people think they are "dirty." Acne makes life for a teen stressful, which in turn can lead to more acne breakouts.
Acne can give a teenager severe psychological trauma, especially if the adult or adults in his life are not understanding and sympathetic of the issue. Feelings of insecurity and depression are common. Teenagers who have severe cases of acne often shun social situations, preferring to stay secluded in their homes.
Parents should work on helping their teens understand that real beauty comes from the inside. In severe cases of depression caused by acne, parents should find a good counselor for their children to talk to. Parents can also support their teenagers by helping them find a respectable dermatologist who can create a plan to care for their skin, and prescribe medication if necessary.
