How Teens Can Control Oily Skin and Pimples

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Teen years can be filled with skin problems. If you are a teenager, you probably feel like you are the only one who is affected by oily skin and pimples. The truth is, you are not, skin problems are very common. 

Joel Schlessinger, MD., the president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery said that as a dermatologist, he understands how frustrating and embarrassing certain skin problems are, especially for teens. But it is important to remember that you are not alone and that there is always a way to make it better, you just have to find the right treatment. 

Teen skin problem: Acne

Skin reacts when hormone levels rise and bodies change. For teenagers, it is an occasional blemish or pimple. For girls, it can happen before their menstrual cycle every month. There are teens though, whose breakouts go far beyond a pimple or two, and it creates a chronic condition known as acne. It is characterized by blackheads, whiteheads, and massive pimples. 

According to Doris J. Day, MD., and author of 100 Questions and Answers About Acne, it develops in the central area of the cheeks and on the forehead, and it is usually caused by hypersensitivity to the hormonal activity in the body and hormonal imbalance. She said that stress can contribute to the factor. 

For a lot of teens, over-the-counter acne treatments that have benzoyl peroxide and various acids in a cream, gel or lotion can help. The key is to buy several different products and rotate them. 

Schlessinger said that very often, the skin responds favorably, then all of a sudden the product stops working. The way to deal with this is to have two or three products that you like and switch off, using one for 2 to 3 months and then changing once the breakouts are no longer controlled. 

If acne does not clear or if it gets worse, you can see a primary care practitioner or a dermatologist as soon as you can. The treatment includes professional-strength acne products and antibiotics. Special laser, abrasive therapies, and other treatments are also available. 

Teen skin problem: Oily Skin

Even though oily skin and acne usually go hand-in-hand, this is not always the case. There are some teens that suffer from oily skin alone. If your complexion is oily but you are not breaking out, there are two treatment approaches. Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD., a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School Medical said that you can use topical treatments to mop up the oil. You can also get to the root of the problem which is excess oil production and you can shut it down. 

To mop it up, he said that you can choose products that contain alcohol like a drying solution that soaks up excess oil on the surface of the skin. You can also use a blotting product. They are sheets of specially treated paper that you touch to your face to absorb oil. 

If none of these work, Crutchfield recommends that you get a professional laser treatment. He notes that the Aramis laser is approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of oil production in acne. Aramis laser interacts with the oil glands themselves to get them to be less active. It causes your oil glands to "deactivate" for up to a year. This means that oil production is dramatically down.

Once the glands activate again, anywhere from a few months to a year, additional treatments can deactivate them again in no time. 

What you do not want to do is to wash your face excessively in trying to remove oil from your face. The clean feeling that people get from using soaps is derived from stripping the fatty oils from our skin, and it is more harmful than good. It is best to use a gentle cleanser and do not wash more than two times a day.  

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