One day you wake up and look at your teenage child wondering just when did they grow up so fast?

It is at this pivotal stage of their maturity, the hormone induced skin changes taking place during puberty are largely responsible for the onset of acne.

Acne is considered to be an inflammatory disease which commonly affects the face, chest and back areas.

Caring for acne skin is incredibly difficult and can take many months to clear but can be done! 

Here are some skin treatment options and advice for your teen -

1. Diet is a reasonable first line of defence in the fight against acne. At the very least a healthy diet has many benefits and can certainly do no harm. Skin-loving foods include nuts, seeds, olives, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Foods to avoid include foods high in sugar, and saturated fat (i.e. processed foods), chocolate and dairy.

2. LED light therapy is a non invasive and effective way to treat acne. The blue light kills the bacteria that is sitting on the surface of the skin, for mild acne conditions this may be enough to keep the acne under control. 

3. Peels - For those experiencing moderate - severe acne a longer treatment plan can be set. Treatments like peels can help clean out the pores of the skin. A gentle peel can be applied working towards a higher grade peel once the skin is ready for it. A series of peels & LED light therapy treatments would be needed for optimum results. 

4. Skincare is important, gentle products that do not strip the skin, keep the routine simple and your teen will hopefully follow it ;) Cleansing, exfoliation and hydration are necessary - yes even for oily skin. Too often teens are stripping the skin of the natural beneficial oils and not using any hydration for fear of causing the skin to become more oily. 

5. Changing pillowcases every couple of days and washing pillowcases and sheets (if suffering from back acne) in a PH neutral detergent and no fabric softener will help.

6. Drink lots of water! 1-2L per day 

7. Try not to squeeze pimples, it can cause the bacteria to spread and cause more acne as well as scarring if being too rough. Using a drawing and drying cream like Payot's Pate Griese L'Original and Speciale 5 will help with this rather than squeezing. 

Keep in mind that acne is usually only temporary and happens to many teens both female and male. If you get your teens into good skin habits early and book them in for some LED if they start breaking out, this is usually enough. 

We are here to help! Please book in for your complimentary consultation today at www.bodyfaceco.com.au