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  Ways You Can Help Your Teenager To Deal With The Often Cataclysmic Problem Of AcneIt might very well appear quite trivial to some people however to a teenager the onset of acne can often seem like the end of the world. Almost all teenagers will get acne at some point and, in many cases, it is reasonably mild and nothing more than a mild irritation. In other cases however acne can prove to be severe and produce a poor body image and even serious depression. In all cases however there are several steps which you can take to assist your teenager to deal with the problems posed by acne.A significant problem with acne is that there are numerous myths about acne which your teenager is very likely to hear at school or to pick up on things like the Internet. You must therefore begin by arming yourself with the truth and here are a few the main facts about precisely what causes acne and what can make an acne attack worse: * Genetics � some kids are simply more susceptible to acne than others no matter what they do. * Too much scrubbing � a lot of children believe than cleaning their skin well will help in getting rid of acne. While cleanliness is certainly important, scrubbing the skin too vigorously can cause problems with existing pimples and also result in their spread. * Popping pimples � many teenagers cannot resist the temptation to pop their spots and this is something which we can all understand. Unfortunately, although this may appear to help things look better in the short term, it will only cause more problems in the longer term. * Diet � the precise connection between acne and diet is not well understood just at the moment but there is little doubt diet has an effect on acne. * Stress � when we are under stress the chemical balance in our bodies is disturbed and this can add to the problems of teenage acne. * Makeup � a lot of children, both girls and boys, will attempt to use makeup to cover their acne. This can however cause problems both in terms of the inability of the skin to breathe properly and of acne reacting to the makeup chosen. The first thing that your teenagers need to understand is that acne is a normal part of the process of growing up and, especially, of the hormonal changes which are going on within their bodies. They also need to understand that some children will suffer more than others and that, whether or not they are one of the lucky ones, this is just a phase which will pass given time. Next, you children have to be taught proper skin care and it is best to begin this from an early age, and before acne arrives if at all possible. However, if acne has already reared its ugly head it is still not too late and this is something which they must learn and practice. Teenagers should wash their face in the morning and again in the evening with a mild soap and, once acne arrives, with a special acne soap which can be bought over-the counter at most supermarkets or drug stores. An important point to remember here is that washing twice daily is sufficient and that, desite the fact that they might be tempted to wash more often this can dry the skin and make their acne worse. Washing with acne soap will frequently do the trick, although this is not an instant cure and your kids will need to be persistent and patient. Where this does not work however you will need to talk to your doctor or consult a dermatologist. Your doctor or dermatologist might well suggest some form of prescription medicine which your teenager will again need to use for some time before it does the trick. Without question, the most important step you can take in helping your teenager to cope with acne is to begin early. Your teenager might well be embarrassed by the arrival of acne and you might be reluctant to step in and assist if they have only a pimple or two. Starting treatment early can however frequently knock the problem on the head and prevent it from growing into a surprisingly serious problem. Free Article Source: http://www.za77.org About The Author: Parenting4Dummies.com provides a wide range of tips on parenting and looks in some detail at the problems of parenting a teenager |