Teen Skin

"What's it all about??? Hormones, blackheads, whiteheads, androgens, acne....did I ask for all this? I don't want to be a spotty teenager!

Zits are not nice things. One minute you're looking cool and the next time you look in the mirror, your face is covered in zits and you feel like hiding away for a while".

Been there, done that - as we all have....

And the good news is that there are ways to help teenage skin problems - considerably.

But first, let's take a look at what's happening. Teenage skin has cells that are being produced at an optimum rate. As a consequence, the skin is plump, bright and well coloured.

The elastin and collagen are working well and the skin is, in many respects, in great shape.

But...those (dreaded) hormones increase the production of oil from the sebaceous glands and it becomes more than a 50/50 bet that the oil ducts will get blocked, resulting in those annoying blackheads and whiteheads. Behind the blocked ducts, the acne bacteria grows quickly and the result is inflammation and possibly a shiny skin. Not nice, but manageable.

Teenage hormonal changes cannot be avoided, but the effect they have on the skin can be minimised if action is taken.

Firstly, cut the rubbish out of the diet. If you fill up on burgers, fries and alcopops, you're fuelling the fire - those zits will love you! Eat fruit - tons of it and drink gallons of water. Get a couple of litres of fresh water a day (minimum) into your body - and make this a habit for your lifetime.

Secondly, here are some practical tips to help those breakouts.

Never squeeze zits and make sure you've washed your hands well before touching your skin.

Avoid lashings of "war paint" which will stop your skin breathing - let your natural beauty shine through!

Adopt a regular cleansing routine that removes grime but doesn't strip the skin.

Use a cotton bud dipped in Milk of Magnesia to zap the spots.

Moisturisers - no need to go expensive here, just use one that has antioxidants and a sun protection factor of 15.

And finally, remember that these skin eruptions will most likely magically disappear in your late teens or early twenties.