Looking after your skin
Puberty tends to bring about an unwelcome change in teenage skin, which can be a source of distress to girls as they are developing.
This month Alison McCormack of Freedom Health & Beauty explains these changes and how to develop a good skincare routine, using safe products that will help you to look your best so you can face the world with confidence.
Living with acne
Is this how you feel sometimes? Do you just want to hide away? We know how hard it can be as a teenager to deal with acne. You are becoming much more aware of your looks and how you appear to others, and it's natural to want to look your best.
There can be a lot of pressure to deal with though. Kids at school can be cruel if they spy the hint of a zit on your face. Magazines don't help. They just add to the pressure to look good because magazines tend not to show lots of spotty kids in their glossy pages. All you see is a perfect airbrushed smile, and you forget that the girl in the photo might have zits just like you do.
So what is the first thing you want to do with the horrible monster that threatens to erupt on your face? Panic and squeeze it, of course! Or cover it up with anything you can find? But that is not the way to go because that's just going to make the problem worse.
First things first – what does the skin do?
The skin is actually the largest organ of your body, and it needs to be treated with respect. Your skin:
- holds all your body parts together and protects everything inside the body
- acts as a barrier against dirt and infection from the outside
- keeps your body waterproof – otherwise you'll look pretty bloated when you went swimming!
- helps to keep your body at the right temperature
- allows the body to rid itself of toxins
- stretches to allow you to move different parts of your body
- gives you your sense of touch.
How the skin is made up
It has 3 layers:
- Hypodermis (also called the subcutaneous layer) – the deepest layer of the skin. This is where new skin cells are forming all the time. When the cells are ready, they start moving toward the top of your epidermis. This takes between 2-4 weeks. The hair follicles also live here, so this is where your body hair starts to form.
- Dermis – where your oil glands, and sweat glands live, plus the nerve endings and blood vessels.
- Epidermis – this is the top layer of your skin – what you see. This is actually a dead layer of skin cells. These cells will have grown in the hypodermis 2-4 weeks ago, and by the time they get to the top, they will have died. Your body sheds these dead cells about every 2 weeks. It happens without you being able to see it – unlike a snake that sheds its whole skin covering all at once!
So the skin is renewing itself all the time, which is why getting into a good skincare routine is a smart habit to get into.
The effect of puberty on teenage skin
As you enter puberty, your skin starts to change. Hormones stimulate glands in the skin. These hormones act like a trigger, increasing oil production and hair growth. Pores may become larger and skin texture changes.
Harmful bacteria (or germs) that live on the skin begin to flourish and clog up the hair follicles, producing red and angry spots. These can affect the face, the forehead, the neck and the upper back.
Most teenagers suffer from mild to moderate acne in the form of pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. A good skincare routine will generally be all that is needed to improve things.
Girls may also find that they get more pimples just before their periods.
Of course, some teenagers experience symptoms which are much worse than the usual and will need to seek medical help.
Teenage skin needs special care
There is a big difference between teenage skin and adult skin. Teenagers need a different approach to adults because your skin is still developing and is, as we know, more oily. Adult skin has matured, tends to be dry and has different needs. Your skin must be treated with the correct products. 
For example, there is no point in treating a teenage skin with a rich adult anti-aging product that would be too rich. Also, it is vital for teenagers not to use harsh products that will strip the skin of its protective barrier.
Believe it or not, many products that are advertised as being able to get rid of spots can actually make the skin worse by drying it out. When you use these products, the body, being as clever as it is, thinks the skin has been dried out, so it sends more oil to the dry area, which makes the problem worse!
And in case you were wondering, you can't change the type of skin you have. The best thing is to understand your skin and look after it.
The importance of a good skincare routine
It's never too early to start getting into a skin care routine. Think of it in the same way that you clean your teeth. In fact, looking after your skin is just as important because neglecting your skin will lead to skin problems that you really don't need. It's far easier to prevent problem skin than it is to treat it once it's happened.
A good skincare routine will include using cleansers designed for young oily skin, and a gel-based product is usually best.
Avoid scrubbing your skin hard as this just stimulates the oil glands and makes your skin worse. Also, the over-use of cleansing products causes a much bigger problem as oil production increases when the skin is stripped of moisture and lipids.
Be sure to clean your face thoroughly both morning and night and use just warm water, not hot or cold. Pat dry with a clean towel – again, don't rub the skin.
For those girls who are wearing make-up, it's natural to want to cover up your acne with make-up. Unfortunately, this will only cause more problems for your skin because make-up clogs the pores big time. So if you have to wear it, leave it for special occasions.
Once you start your new routine, please don't be disappointed if you don't see immediate results. You need to be patient as it can take quite a few weeks for things to change. Remember that it takes 2-4 weeks for new skin cells to come to the surface, so it will take at least that long before you start to see improvements.
Skincare products – what to look out for
There are lots of ingredients in skincare products and, unfortunately, many of them are too harsh for teenage skin. It's worth getting to know now which are some of the ingredients to avoid, and why.
We can't stress enough how important it is to use mild, gentle products.
Reading the labels
Did you know that ingredients are listed in order of the amount in the product? The first ingredient listed has the highest quantity, and the last ingredient has the smallest amount. Therefore, if you have to buy products using any of the ingredients listed above, choose the products that have the smallest possible amount.
The truth about squeezing those zits!
It is never a good idea to squeeze pimples, no matter how horrible they look and how desperately you want to cover them up. Squeezing can cause infection, bruise the skin, and cause worse problems under the skin's surface. You might also end up with scars.
As hard as it might seem, waiting for the pimple to do its thing and clear in its own time is the best option.
Pay special attention to your personal hygiene
Personal hygiene is really important during puberty, and especially when it comes to your skin. You'd be amazed at how easy it is for bacteria, or germs, to reach your face.
Touching your face a lot is a great way of constantly adding to all the bacteria that cause acne.
Bacteria live everywhere, but one of the worst places for bacteria is on your hands. Keep your hands away from your face at all times. If you need to touch your face, make sure you've washed your hands first.
It is very important to keep your hair off your face so that any oil or bacteria don't end up on your face and make your acne worse.
Anything else that touches your face needs to be clean – facecloths, towels, hairbands, brushes, sponge pads, etc. Think about the things that you use and make sure you clean them regularly.
Your pillowcase is also a perfect way to constantly transfer bacteria to your face so learn how to change your bed linen and do it often and keep it fresh – your parents will be impressed!
A healthy lifestyle will help your skin
A healthy lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to get good skin – and the cheapest!
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, which contain vitamin A and vitamin E – both very good for skin. Get plenty of sleep and exercise. Drinking lots of water is also really important as it helps to rid the body of toxins and clear your skin.
All of these things will make a great difference to your skin and you will look and feel so much better!
Care in the sun
Many of us love to feel the warmth of the sun in the summer months, and the skin needs to get a bit of sun to keep you healthy. However, the sun can do a lot of damage to your skin very quickly if you don't take care, and some of the damage you will not be able to see.
Always use a high factor sunscreen in the summer months, keep out of the sun during the hottest part of the day, and never allow yourself to get burnt.
Wear a hat as much as you can. You might not think it looks cool, but neither does a sore, burnt face!
A note from PoGo about skincare brands
Depending on how much you can afford to spend, and whether you do or don't want to go natural/organic, here are some brands which are worth looking at:
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Alison McCormack is a Champneys trained therapist who runs her own salon, Freedom Health & Beauty Studio and the Freedom Skin Clinic in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Alison is passionate about what is put on the skin, with an ethos of using products that are as safe and natural as possible, as well as effective. She has many young clients with a variety of skin issues. Alison assesses their skincare routines and individual needs, and spends time educating them in the importance of looking after their skin from an early age. She often finds that young girls respond more to a therapist than their parent! For more information or an appointment for skincare advice, call Freedom Health & Beauty Studio on 01727 375353.
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