[Imiseok Tema Dermatology] How to Manage Teenage Acne!

How to Manage Teenage Acne!

Adolescence is the period when people are most sensitive to their appearance. During the teenage years, acne is what troubles adolescents the most, and in severe cases, the entire face can become red from acne, or scar marks can remain and continue into adulthood.

Acne develops not only on the face, but also on various areas such as the neck, back, and chest, and it typically occurs most often during the early teens as secondary sexual development takes place. In some cases, symptoms worsen around the twenties, and in very rare cases, it can also occur in the thirties and forties. Acne that appears during adolescence often disappears after a few years, but if it is not properly managed and treated, permanent scars may remain.

Why does acne occur?

To explain acne, we need to understand sebum and sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands are widely distributed on the face, back, and chest, and they produce sebum, an oily substance. They are also connected to hair follicles, so sebum produced through the sebaceous glands is discharged to the outside through the hair follicles.

Sebum is released to the outside of the body along the wall of the hair follicle, but if the follicle is blocked, the sebum cannot be discharged, and inflammation and bacteria develop, causing acne. The reason acne occurs so often during adolescence is that, during secondary sexual development, large amounts of hormones are secreted, causing the sebaceous glands to enlarge. As a result, more sebum is produced, and because it is not properly discharged, acne develops.

How can teenage acne be managed?

Treatment is important for acne, but management is also very important. If you improve your daily habits and environment along with treatment, the effect of treatment increases and a faster recovery can be expected.

1. Reduce toxins in the body!

Toxins in the body are discharged to the outside through various methods, and since they are also released through the skin, it is important to prevent toxins from building up inside the body. Reduce your intake of foods high in saturated fat, large amounts of sodium, sugar, and greasy foods, and eat natural foods such as vegetables and fruits to prevent toxin buildup. It is also good to drink plenty of water to help eliminate toxins from the body.

2. Keep your skin clean at all times!

Managing the inside of the body is important, but external care is also important. As environmental pollution continues to worsen, it is a good idea to cleanse your face after going out and returning home to keep it clean.

Fine dust, oil, and pollutants in daily life can block the skin's hair follicles and pores, hindering the smooth discharge of sebum, which can trigger acne and worsen existing acne. Therefore, it is good to keep your face clean through face washing.

When washing your face, be careful not to rub too hard, as this can irritate the sebaceous glands and worsen acne. It is also good to use a natural soap that does not contain chemical ingredients.

3. Do not forcefully squeeze or touch acne!

Most teenagers tend to touch acne with their hands or try to squeeze it themselves when it appears. However, squeezing or popping acne can allow bacteria from your hands and other external bacteria to enter, leading to secondary problems and acne scars.

If you absolutely must squeeze acne, it is best to keep your hands clean and use sterilized gauze or a cotton swab, and be careful not to apply too much force, as this can damage the skin.

4. What about using cosmetics??

Cosmetics are chemical products, so if you have a lot of acne, it is best to avoid makeup. If you absolutely must wear makeup, keep the makeup time as short as possible and maintain skin cleanliness by thoroughly washing your face afterward. Many people think sunscreen is fine, but sunscreen can also worsen acne, so you should pay extra attention to cleansing after use.

In general, it is best to avoid color cosmetics, which women often use, but basic skincare products are good for moisturizing the skin. For acne-prone skin, low-irritation, low-oil moisturizers are recommended.

5. If you miss the right time for acne treatment, scars can remain.

The biggest problem with acne is bacterial infection. Acne-prone skin during adolescence secretes a lot of sebum, producing more oil and becoming more vulnerable to bacterial infection. The bacteria Propionibacterium acnes can multiply easily and cause inflammation, and when inflammation occurs, it hurts even with a slight touch. If it develops into inflammatory acne, acne scars such as pitted skin can occur, so you should visit a specialist and receive a consultation.

In acne treatment, how inflammation is managed is the key. Acne medication helps prevent excessive sebum production, helps it be properly discharged to the outside of the body, and suppresses bacterial growth. If bacterial growth is suppressed, it may not develop into inflammatory acne and scars may hardly remain. However, if bacterial multiplication has already occurred and it has developed into inflammatory acne, separate acne scar treatment may be necessary.

Today, we talked about how to manage teenage acne. Many parents do not take their children's acne treatment seriously and often do not worry much, thinking it will improve over time. However, as mentioned earlier, if you are not careful and miss the treatment window, the treatment period can become longer and scars can remain, so active treatment is necessary.

The management methods discussed today are ways to help improve acne, not treatment methods. Therefore, if you want to know more about acne or learn about treatment methods, please call us anytime.