Acne can be a major physical and psychological set back for teenagers. Although it is commonly said that it is part of growing up and puberty, it can be irritating for elders to say so, because they feel that do not really know what they are going through. But obviously this is not the case, as adults were all once teenagers before, and in fact have the majority have had acne as well.



When being a teenager, physical appearance is of utmost important. Acne is something that is blaringly obvious to see, and it is very difficult to cover it up without it being even more obvious. When going to school with such obvious facial blemishes, it is likely that they come under verbal abuse from other children who have clear skin.

These could be children either younger than them who have not reached puberty yet, or even older who have passed this acne phase already. It is important to bear in mind that there are a few children who luckily do not get acne outbreaks. All of this verbal abuse can easily affect a teenager psychologically, and result in negative self confidence.

In fact, it is a vicious cycle, and it largely results in annoyance and irritation over the fact that over the counter medication does not remove acne immediately, or overnight. This results in self medicating with mythical cures, and it is more likely that they start picking at their acne, resulting in a greater chance of infected acne, and a more obvious acne scar when it eventually does resolve.

It is not true that greasy or sugary food or drink exacerbates acne, it can arise at any time- which makes it even more elusive and irritating to a conscious teenager. Like said earlier, trying to cover up the acne, may make the blemish more obvious. For example, adding layers and layers of makeup in a girl, may make the acne less obvious, but it will result in constant bombarding questioning from their schoolmates or friends with regard to the newly added makeup.

Severe acne can be treated with prescription drugs such as Ro-accutane, which can eliminate acne quite effectively. But side-effects such as liver damage after excessive use should be noted. An alternative new treatment called Microdermabrasion has been shown to eliminate acne in teenagers and all ages. It involves the painless spraying of fine crystals over the affected area to remove the upper-most layer of dead skin cells, so revealing the lower healthier skin. It is making headlines all over the beauty world, so it is something definitely to look out for.

In the end, we need to teach by example to young and old teenagers who are affected by acne. We should focus on inner beauty in ourselves and in others. It is important for them to realize that acne is only temporary in most cases, and there are effective treatments out there if is it gets serious.