Dermatologists warn teen girls need to take extra care of their face and skin especially with humid and dusty weather and high temperatures, all factors leading to the development of spots and breakouts.  Maintaining clear skin is a vital component of high levels of self confidence and a high sense of self worth amongst the teenage group. Dermatologists say that, due to stress and warm temperatures during the beginning of school, it the most crucial time to take effective action.

Dr. Lina Houssami, Dermatologist at Al Madar Medical Centre in Al Ain, commented: "I have often seen teens redirect their insecurities concerning their appearance in negative and self-defeating ways, often manifesting as a reluctance to meet new people."  When asked to further describe these behaviors Dr. Houssami said: "These teens are often mistaken as shy, when this is frequently not the case.  The change in behavior can occur suddenly; a child who was formerly out-going and social can become reclusive in a short period of time solely as a result of a change in their appearance, such as the development of spots and blemishes."

Imperfections and their effect on the psychology of teenage girls can be highly damaging.  As spots are linked to hormonal changes associated with puberty, the development of facial blemishes can cause even greater mental and emotional distress during a period of dramatic physical change.  During this time period, teen girls produce an excess amount of oil, causing skin to be more prone to breakouts and spots.  Though no specific hormone has been identified as the culprit, girls are most likely to suffer from problem skin during their teen years, particularly at certain times of the month, or in specific areas, such as around the edge of the face where a scarf may irritate the skin.

Suggesting methods to help teens address issues of insecurity and body image, Dr. Houssami emphasized the importance that acne and skin clarity play in teen psychology.  Ensuring teens, and pre-teens develop good skin cleansing regimes can set them up for success in the future, preventing major outbreaks of acne and facial blemishes before they cause lasting damage to teens.  Regular daily cleansing with a facial cleanser specifically designed for teen skin, as well as moisturizing regularly can help prevent acne breakouts, as well as provide teens with a gateway into healthy skin maintenance for the rest of their lives.

"Specifically designed teen skin products, like Clean & Clear, can help manage the skin problems more frequently associated with teen skin than with adult skin.  This also provides teens with an opportunity to develop their own skin regime, and ownership of their appearance, thus giving them greater self confidence amongst their peers.  This is a subject which parents need to raise with their teenage daughters; proper skin care, and skin health, is important to teenage development and life-long habits like exercise and a proper diet," concluded Dr. Houssami.

Blemishes, a broad term that refers to any form of clogged pore, most frequently occur on the face and neck of teenage girls.  These blemishes are created when the openings of hair follicles become clogged and blocked by a plug, which can be made up of oil secretions, dead skin cells and sometimes bacteria. There are two very common forms of blemishes. The first is a type of blemish where the plug is open on the surface of the skin and appears to be dark in color.  These are called blackheads due to the dark colored appearance of the plugs inside the pore. The second form of blemish is called a spot which appears as a red elevated area.  Spots develop when the blocked pore becomes inflamed. These blemishes typically appear on your face, neck, chest, back and shoulders, areas of the body which have the largest number of oil glands.

-Ends-

© Press Release 2008

 

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