Acne is much more than spots on your child’s skin. It’s a nuisance, often a source of their insecurities and cause of their low self-esteem, especially when combined with all the other challenges teenagers have to deal with. Fortunately, you can help your kid get through this. As a dad, you should find out about the latest advancements in treating acne and be able to advise your child on how to approach this issue. Here are some of the things you can do to help your teenager tackle the problem of acne.
Learn What Causes Acne
There aren’t many teens who don’t struggle with acne, but some have more problems than others. The breakouts can even start when they’re as young as nine for those who enter puberty earlier than most. Acne is most often caused by hormonal changes in teenagers. The hormones influence the sebaceous glands, which then make skin oilier. The oil, bacteria and dead skin cells plug your hair follicles and that’s how acne appear on their face, neck, shoulders, upper back and chest. The follicles that bulge lead to blackheads, while those whose plugs are open to the surface tend to darken, leading to blackheads.
When inflammation of follicles happens, it manifests itself through pimples. It’s essential that you know that your kid didn’t get acne because they ate a hamburger or a candy bar, or that it’s not the lack of hygiene that causes the problem. Once you know the what causes acne and what doesn’t you’ll be able to talk to your child and ensure them that it’s not their fault they have acne and that it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Help Your Child Treat Acne
Although acne isn’t caused by inadequate skin cleansing, good skincare can help in controlling it. The sooner you teach your child how to establish healthy skincare habits and maintain proper hygiene regularly, the better. Choose the best teen acne treatment for your kid, so that they don’t just eliminate acne, but also clean their pores and control the oil and the shine it causes on the skin. The treatments which deliver more oxygen to the pores help kill the bacteria that cause acne sooner, which can help them greatly. Also, you should react as soon as the acne appears.
Waiting for the problem to become more severe often means that it will take more time and effort to contain it, whereas if your child starts the treatment the moment you notice the first blemishes, it can save them the stress and even scaring that acne can cause. Plus, it’s much simpler to fight acne when the breakout is mild and at its beginning. And in case that over-the-counter treatments aren’t helping, take your kid to a dermatologist for a more personalized approach to treatment.
Make Sure Their Diet is Balanced
Even though your teenager’s diet isn’t what actually causes acne, it can either help them with controlling it or worsen the problem. The reason for this is that there are some foods that elevate the blood sugar levels faster than others, which causes the body to release insulin. High amounts of insulin in the blood can make the oil glands produce excessive amounts of oil, and that’s what increases the chance of an acne breakout. The foods in question include processed sugar, pasta, bread and white rice, so try avoiding those ingredients when preparing meals for your child.
Furthermore, dairy products and food loaded with saturated or trans fats can cause a similar effect, so limit the use of these foods, too. Instead, base your kid’s diet around legumes, whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables. Leafy greens, blueberries, apricots and carrots are just some of the skin-friendly foods you should offer your teenager, since the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in them can turn to allies in the battle to regulate acne breakouts.
Offer Psychological Support
Understanding the affect of acne on teenagers’ confidence, and providing them with the understanding and support they need can make the world of difference. Talking to your child is one of the steps, while doing what you can to help with the treatment is another. Don’t forget that your child is at an age when they’re trying to fit in and make friends and, unfortunately, their physical appearance often plays an important role in this process. This is why it’s not uncommon for teenage girls to wear heavy makeup and boys to grow long hair to try and hide their face.
Low self-esteem, social anxiety and even depression are some of the effects that acne can have on your child. Some children even refuse to go to school, because they don’t want to be seen with acne, which can take a toll on their academic success. And let’s not forget that this is the time when they fall in love and want to form meaningful relationships, for which they may not gather the courage because of acne. If you see that your positive attitude and encouragement aren’t enough, seek help from a psychologist and help your kid any way you can. As your teenager struggles with acne, it means a lot that they have you on their side, knowing that they can rely on you for support. So, stay informed and learn how to help your child get through this problem.
