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Understanding Acne: Acne Causes, Acne Cures & Acne Myths

Part 3: For the Parents of Teens with Acne

Acne /'akni/ n a skin disorder found esp among adolescents, characterized by inflammation of the skin glands and hair follicles and causing red pustules, esp on the face and neck [Gk akne eruption of the face, MS var of akme, lit., point] - acned adj

Part 3: For the Parents of Teens with Acne

Acne has affected all of us at one time or another.  If you are a parent with teenage children you will be reminded of what a toll dealing with acne can have on their lives. Acne can affect your child’s self image as well as overall social life and in severe cases can lead to depression and withdrawal. You should let your teenager know that you are available and that you are willing to help him or her with their acne. Talking about your own experiences may help them relate and quite possibly, give them a broader perspective on the condition. Even if they don't want to talk about it, dealing with acne is one of their major concerns. Consequently, your teenager is trying everything he or she can to control the acne. 

As adults, we know that acne will not last forever, that it will usually clear up in time if given attention and treated appropriately. Yet this is only a small comfort to teenagers who are currently suffering from embarrassment and discomfort from breakouts of acne. Talking with your teenager about acne can be difficult because they might be embarrassed by their appearance and would sooner just pretend it wasn’t an issue. The key is to be supportive and understanding. At the same time, parents must be more than moral support to their children. They need to be a source of information and advice about how to treat acne as well.

One of the most effective ways is to learn as much as possible about the various types of acne and how it can be treated. Simply doing this can go a long way in providing more effective guidance for your children when confronted with decisions related to their acne treatment.  You will be able to help them in the selection of acne medications and perhaps determine whether or not it is an appropriate time to consult with a dermatologist. 

Do not assume that just because you happened to have acne as a teen that you know everything about it. Things have changed since then. Advances in scientific research on acne related matters continually unearth new information. Also, new medications as well as new methods of acne treatment have been developed so that the most common acne conditions can be remedied quickly.  Because there are such a variety of approaches, knowing what is available will aid you in deciding what the best option may be for your child.

The article "Understanding acne: causes, cures and myths" continues on the next page ...

For more information on acne, acne treatments, acne prevention and skin care, see the "resources" section of this website. 

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