How a healthy lifestyle can change your teen’s skin!
As if life as a teenager wasn't tough enough, hormonal changes may wreak havoc on your child’s appearance.
Is your teen battling through whiteheads, blackheads, pus-filled pimples, and chronic acne? The teen years can be hard enough without having to worry about troubled skin.
We chat with Dr Yashica Khalawan General Practitioner on her tips that can help improve your teen’s skin health.
Encourage a healthy diet
A diet rich in fresh fruit, vegetables, fish oil, and low in unhealthy fats (trans and saturated fats) or refined carbohydrates will help keep your teen’s skin clearer. It’s important that your child remembers to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.
Keep physically active and manage weight control
Studies recommend that teens do moderate-intensity exercise at least three times a week, whether it’s playing netball after school, or simply going for a family walk. Cardiovascular exercise will help increase your teen’s heart rate and improves blood circulation, this delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells, promoting collagen and new skin cells.
Don’t smoke around your child
While your teen should not be smoking, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke can be particularly harmful to their skin. There are various adverse effects of secondhand smoking such as impaired wound healing and infections.
Stress
Uncontrolled stress triggers the sympathetic nervous system that releases stress hormones into the body. This can lead to aggravation of conditions such as acne, eczema, and hives. A healthy state of mind is imperative to a healthy lifestyle and skin. Ensure that your teen gets enough sleep, and is given the opportunity and freedom to enjoy the things they love to do.
Sun protection
Repeated sun damage makes your teen’s skin look dry, and can also trigger acne. Sun avoidance, protective clothing, and sunscreen are imperative to healthy skin.
Healthy skin habits
Ensure that your teen washes their face twice a day (no more) with warm water and a mild soap made for people with acne. Remind them not to overwash or scrub their face, as this can cause the skin to become irritated. After cleansing, your teen should apply an oil-free moisturiser (labeled non-comedogenic). If your teen wears make-up, it should always be removed before they go to bed.
Get your teen help
For many teens, over-the-counter acne treatments containing benzoyl peroxide and/or various acids in a cream, lotion, or gel will do the trick. The key, however, may be to purchase several different products and rotate them. If acne doesn’t clear – or gets worse – take your teen to see a primary care practitioner or a dermatologist as soon as you can.
