Acne During teenage years

Skin is the colossal organ of the human body. It is an important organ to protect our inner organs such as bones, muscles. It holds all our body parts together. Our skin reflects us and usually, people make the first decision about us based on our skin. Teenage acne can be embarrassing and painful. To learn more about acne I studied some research and found that the acne rate is particularly higher among women than men among all age groups [1]. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, approximately 40 to 50 million Americans are suffering from acne problems at any given time [2]. Acne most commonly occurs on the face, chest, neck, shoulders, and back.

What is meant by Acne?

Acne starts in the adolescent or pubertal years when the creation of some hormones like androgen starts increasing in the human body. Androgen hormone starts manufacturing an oily substance known as sebum. The sebum mixes up with the dead skin cells and blocks the hair follicles [3]. This accumulation of skin cells, hair, and oil cluster together produce pressure that bursts up and makes skin inflammation. Then a bacteria that is also known as P. acnes or Propionibacterium acnes gets involved here and it makes skin sorer.

Causes of Teenage Acne:

The main causes of teenage acne are the following:

• Bacteria
• Excess oil production [4].
• Increase production of androgen hormone in an excess
• Hair follicles accumulated by dead skin cells or oil [4].
• Genetics

Some other factors:

• Hormones:

Androgen hormones that increase in girls and boys during puberty cause to make sebaceous gland enlarged and it starts producing more sebum [4]. Changes in hormones during pregnancy also sometimes increase sebum production. The reduction of androgen circulation in women’s blood can also become a cause of worse acne.

• Some Medication:

It includes drugs consist of testosterone, corticosteroids, or lithium.

• Stress:

Research published shows that too much stress can also cause acne [5].

• Diet:

Many existing studies show that many dietary factors such as high carbohydrates foods including bread, chips, and skim milk can also create worse acne. A study published in 2013 shows that taking too many dairy products and high glycemic foods also linked to acne [6].

Types of Acne:

Acne divided into two categories base on the inflammation they are causing surround the skin.

Non-Inflammatory Acne:

Non-Inflammatory acne usually does not cause any inflammation and they are non-painful. Whiteheads and blackheads are an example of non-inflammatory acne.

Inflammatory Acne:

Inflammatory acne is severe than non-inflammatory acne. Most of the time, it produces many complications like pitting or scarring.  Papules, nodulocystic lesions, and pustules (pimples) are common examples of inflammatory acne [7].

 Teenage acne pictures

Acne Treatments for Teens

Teenage acne natural remedies:

keep on reading to know more about teenage pimples treatment

• Aloe Vera

It is a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial remedy for acne. It means Aloe Vera can help reduce the appearance of teenage acne and can prevent acne flare-up. Aloe Vera is also a great moisturizer for those who have dry skin because Aloe Vera consists of plenty of water in it. Using Aloe Vera gel is such an acne treatment that works fast. It also amazing herbal tips for glowing skin.

In research published in 2014, researchers had an experiment to use Aloe Vera gel. They selected some people who were suffering from mild to severe acne problems. They provided them Aloe Vera gel to use with tretinoin cream (that is very common over the counter acne remedy) for about 8 weeks. All participants declared that they got an outstanding improvement in both non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne as compared to those people who only used tretinoin cream [8].

How should you use it for your skin health?

• Use cotton or any clean soft cloth to clean the acne sores gently.
• Take a bowl and mix the aloe Vera gel and tretinoin cream in it (keep the quantity of Aloe Vera gel at least 10 percent in this mixture).
• Start applying it and use it for at least 10 weeks.

• Honey

For thousands of years, people are using honey to treat their skin problems such as acne. Honey constitutes of numerous antioxidants that help clear debris and waste from the blocked pores. Honey has the wound healing and antibacterial property due to which many doctors around the world use honey for wound dressing.

How should you use it?

• Take a little honey and apply it to your pimples with the cotton pad or clean finger smoothly.
• Another way to use honey is you can add it to any face mask and apply it.

• Green Tea

Green tea consists of a high amount of catechins (polyphenol antioxidants). Most of the people who face acne have too much sebum (natural body oils) and less required antioxidants.

Antioxidants are very important for our body because these help break down waste products and harmful chemicals that can damage our body healthy cells. Taking green tea helps clear waste and debris from the body that usually built-up in open acne lesions. Taking green tea is also natural tips for healthy skin.

Green tea consists of such compounds that also help:

• minimize P. acnes
• minimize inflammation
• minimize sebum production within the skin

How should you use it?

• You can drink green tea to treat acne or can apply its extract on your skin

One study suggested that using polyphenol green tea extract for continuously 8 weeks makes the 79 to 89 % reduction in blackheads and whiteheads [9].

• Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis or Rosemary extract consists of such compounds and chemicals that have antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

A study published in 2013 on human cells and mice models found that rosemary extract can help reduce inflammation from the P. acnes bacteria (a bacteria that cause acne) [10].

• Echinacea

Echinacea purpurea is also known as purple coneflower. It consists of such elements that help destroy bacteria such as P. acnes and viruses.

Most of the people have an opinion that Echinacea can strengthen the immune system and can minimize inflammation. It also protects from infections such as flu and colds.

How you should use it?

• You can use such cream that contains Echinacea to those parts where you have acne sore. Or you can also take any Echinacea supplement.

• Pure bee venom

Pure bee venom has antibacterial characteristics. A study published in 2013 found that using pure bee venom can destroy the P. acnes bacteria. And a large amount of research said that people who keep using cosmetics with the pure venom continuously for about 2 weeks, got the improvement in the amount of acne sore [11].

• Garlic

Conventional medical practitioners used garlic to boost the immune system and to treat infections. Garlic has organosulfur compounds that make it anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Organosulfur also helps provide strength to the immune system and helps the body fight against infections.

How should you use it?

• To fight against infections and inflammations created because of acne; people can use garlic with their diet. While some people rub garlic on their toast or use it with the hot water, or some people also chew complete garlic cloves for the purpose.

• Jojoba oil

Jojoba oil is a naturally occurring waxy substance that is produced from the seeds of the jojoba shrub.

Jojoba oil has the waxy substance that helps renovate damaged skin; it means it also helps speed up the process of wound healing include the acne wound.

Jojoba oil constitutes of such compounds that can help reduce swelling and redness around whiteheads, pimples, and other swelled lesions.

A study published in 2012, describes the making of clay facial masks that consist of jojoba oil. They provided that to a group of people and asked them to apply that masks 2 to 3 times a week and continue this process for about 6 weeks.  After 6 weeks people reported that they got about 54 percent recovery in their acne sores [12].

How you should use it?

• You can mix jojoba oil with the cream, gel, or the clay facial mask and then apply it to your acne.
• Or you can put a few drops of jojoba oil in the cotton pad. Then rub this cotton pad gently on your acne sores.

• Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent, which means it can kill P. acnes bacteria that make acne. It also has the anti-inflammatory property that helps reduce the redness and swelling of pimples.

Lifestyle modification for acne treatment

While using natural remedies there are some lifestyle modifications that you need to adopt for your acne treatment and your overall skin health.  Let’s take a look at some ways about how to get rid of teenage pimples naturally

• Do not touch pimples
• Stay hydrated
• Choose a correct cleanser
• Reduce stress
• Use oil-free skincare

When should you go to the doctor?

You should go to your doctor if your acne sores are:

• often infected
• very painful
• not showing any improvement with home remedies
• deep under your skin
• making you emotional distress
• Covering your large skin area.

Conclusion:

Using these home remedies can work as an acne treatment for teens. Though not all above mentioned natural remedies will work for everyone, however, you may have to use the trial & error way to identify what’s the best acne treatment that will work for you. But you must talk with your doctor if your acne is intense and painful.

 References:

[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071019155627.htm

[2] https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/causes/acne-causes

[3] https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/acne_vulgaris.htm

[4] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120316101200.htm

[5] Zouboulis, Christos C., and Markus Böhm. “Neuroendocrine regulation of sebocytes–a pathogenetic link between stress and acne.” Experimental dermatology 13 (2004): 31-35.

[6] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220084809.htm

[7] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0733863518310222

[8] https://www.dr-jetskeultee.nl/jetskeultee/download/common/aloe-vera.pdf

[9] https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(15)36111-X/fulltext

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3624774/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24063779

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22585103

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