5 Steps on How Parents Can Help Their Teens Treat Acne

Almost all teens get acne, unfortunately this reality happens to most teens at a time in their lives when self confidence can already be difficult to summon up. As a parent, your support is key to helping them through this potentially difficult time.

Though it is inevitable there are steps that can be taken to weather the storm.

1. Take it seriously - maybe you didn't suffer from acne as a teen or perhaps you just don't recall. Either way, acne breakouts whether mild or severe are hard on our teens confidence. Yes, teen acne will more than likely clear on it's own, however it can take several years before it does so, leaving not only emotional scarring but physical acne scarring that could last a life time.

Be sure to listen to your teens, do your research, seek professional natural skincare services like the ones we offer at our Moncton clinic and most of all let them know you take it seriously.

2. Encourage proper skincare - It doesn't have to be complicated but a consistent skincare routine should be followed to not only clear up acne but help prevent it and the scarring that comes with it.

Cleanse - twice a day. We recommend an oil base cleanser, not only does oil clean oil but it will hydrate the skin and reduce excessive oil. 

Look also to incorporate a sulfur product, such as our in.house EASTND Sulfur Soap. Formulated specifically for our acne clients. It dries up excessive oil, stops bacteria from spreading and is a natural exfoliant.

Moisturize - twice a day. Yes, many clients with oily or acne prone skin shy away from moisturizing, thinking their skin is too oily. The truth is, oily skin can be dehydrated, which leads to excessive oil production. Your moisturizer seals in hydration, keeping the pH balance our skin needs.

Exfoliate but gently! - no coffee scrubs on your face, ever! The skin on our face is not thick like the rest of our body and needs to be treated gently, acne or no acne.

However when we scrub our skin or use harsh ingredients on our acne, this just leads to more acne.

Try using a gentle dry brush on the skin 2-3 times per week before you cleanse. They are available in the Moncton clinic. Exfoliating clears away dead skin that often clog our pores and lead to acne.

3. Do Not Pick, ever - It can be very hard but picking at our acne leads to:

• Unnecessary scarring
• Spreading bacteria which causes more acne
• Damages your skin barrier, leaving your skin inflamed and sensitive to other skin conditions. 

 4. Manage Stress - this can be a tricky one, teenagers are under a lot of stress these days. Social media alone causes undue stress on top of school, extra curricular activities and parents expectations. 

Stress is part of life and helping your teens incorporate strategies to lower stress will be a skill they can use forever.

• Manage device/internet time - lead by example and carve out times in the home where everyone's devices are put away and more time is focused on being present.
• Sleep - encourage your teen to get as close to 8 hours of sleep nightly. Again set a good example in the home. Everyone does better with 8 hours of sleep.
• Movement - this doesn't have to be organized sports but movement, especially outside is shown to reduce stress levels.
• Journal - getting it on paper can often give teens a different perspective on stressors in their life. By your a teen a special journal to help kick off the process.

5. Get professional help - as the medical aesthetician at the EASTND Moncton clinic, many parents and teens end up at our clinic because they are have tried everything, out of options and are looking for answers

We can help! At EASTND we have an integrated holistic approach to treating acne. Many of our clients work with myself and one of our Naturopathic Doctors to identify the root cause and treat the skin from the inside out.

At EASTND we are here to support you and your teen find real solutions, get actual results and most of all help your teen regain their confidence!

 Are you in Moncton? Take this opportunity to have a professional natural skin rejuvenation treatment with our medical aesthetician at EASTND.

BOOK NOW

MONCTON at 1.506.830.8333 or email at [email protected] 

Karen, Medical Aesthetician

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