Uncovering Acne
Every single teen at one point or another in their lives has likely woken up with a red pimple on their face and hated how they looked for the day. I will always remember being 14, 15, and running to look for my foundation powder at the sight of any redness that would become a future pimple. Believe it or not acne can really lower a person’s self-esteem and sometimes even the thought of going out can make a teen feel like all eyes are watching them, just waiting for someone to notice the red blemish on their face.
I realized that make up was actually making my acne worse and that I just needed to keep up with washing my face twice a day as my dermatologist had suggested. In doing so, this allowed my skin to breathe rather than clogging my pores with layers of makeup. It took me a while to break out of the habit of constantly covering up my acne with powder but honestly it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Yes, just like any other teen I occasionally get acne because balancing a crazy schedule and the added on school stress will never be easy, but I love having the ability to wash my face in the morning with my acne wash, curl my lashes, and be out the door without having to cover my face with makeup just to feel good about myself. I guess just like anything else in life, some things just take getting used to before they become a healthy habit.
In no way am I saying that dealing with acne is easy but it’s important to remember that most teens get acne at some point in their lives, it’s normal, and you should never feel bad about the way you look because of it. According to the youngwomenshealth.org, about 70-90% of teens (girls and guys) will have some kind of acne breakout during their adolescent years. Sometimes things are out of our hands and they are just part of the hormonal process of growing up and becoming an adult. Remember to keep in mind that acne is not everlasting and the more you pick at it the worse it will become so it’s better to just relax and leave the pimples alone, rather than picking and popping them as this can cause scarring.
Growing up I always remember my mother telling me to stay away from chocolate and any greasy foods because she believed they caused acne. After reading the link to the guide below, I found out that contrary to common myths, chocolate, soda, and greasy foods don’t cause acne or make it worse. I also discovered that makeup and foundation that claims to “conceal or cover-up acne” can actually spark an acne flare-up. If you can’t live without makeup, look for “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” products. Taking good care of your skin will help to keep it looking healthy. If you are worried about your skin or have moderate to severe acne, talk to your health care provider and consider asking for a referral to a dermatologist or skin specialist.