Skin Care Tips For Teens
Teenage Skin
When a person reaches the teenage years their skin begins to change. As hormone levels fluctuate during puberty both teenage boys and girls notice a difference to their skin.
For some dryness becomes a problem, for many others excess oiliness and pimples are the problem.
Skin faces a daily barrage of dirt, grime and pollution and needs to be kept clean to stay looking healthy and clear. When the skin begins to change in the teenage years it makes sense to start a daily skin care routine.Getting into good skin care habits as a teenager will pay off in the future. The sooner you begin to protect your skin from pollution and the elements the better.
When you’re a teenager your 40s, 50s and 60s may seem a long way off but as any 40+ person will tell you – time goes a lot faster than you may think.
If you look after your skin now you may be able to hold off wrinkles and premature skin aging in the future. And once you reach your 40s, looking younger than your age is definitely a positive!
Dos And Don’ts
There are 5 essential skin care tips for teenagers that should form the bedrock of any skin care regime. These are:
1. Avoid The Sun And Use Sunscreen
Sun damage is arguably the number one cause of premature skin aging. Protect your skin from the sun now and reap the rewards of a smooth, wrinkle-free younger looking complexion when you are older.
Protect your skin from strong sun with a baseball cap or wide brimmed hat and always wear sunglasses in strong sun. This will stop your from repeatedly squinting – a major cause of wrinkles around the eyes.
2. Don’t Take Up Smoking
Smoking is bad for your health, it causes life-shortening diseases and it ruins the skin.
When people get older you can usually tell, just by looking, who has smoked and who hasn’t.
Smokers have deeper wrinkles generally and especially around the mouth. Their complexions are often dull and their skin may appear thicker or coarser.
Smoking robs the body of vital skin-friendly nutrients that help to keep skin supple and clear. The simplest solution is to never start smoking!
3. Pay Attention To Your Diet
Bad food choices equal bad skin. If you constantly overload your body with junk food your skin will become bloated, puffy and dull-looking.
A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat, fish, beans, pulses and whole grains is a sensible choice for your skin and for your overall health – now and in the long-term.
And don’t forget, drinking 6 – 8 glasses of water per day is the absolute foundation for beautiful, clear, moist and supple looking skin.
Foods high in sugar and fat age the skin and can lead to a whole range of serious, ongoing medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Try to get into good eating habits at an early age for the sake of your skin and your health.
4. Exercise
Exercise is good for your mind and your body, helping you to maintain a healthy weight whilst also improving your mood.
Exercise is also good for your skin as it improves circulation, allowing for the delivery of essential nutrients to all of your body’s cells. This makes skin cell renewal more effective and helps to keep your skin looking vibrant and clear.
In addition to this, during exercise your body produces more collagen, which is essential for skin elasticity and can help to prevent skin sagging.
Try to exercise for 20 – 30 minutes, 4 – 5 times per week, choose any physical activity you enjoy be it aerobics, running, cycling or swimming. Your body and your skin will reap the benefits.
5. Skin Care For Teens
Starting a skin care regime at the first signs of hormone-related skin changes will pay off now and in the future.
Cleansing and moisturizing the skin twice per day, morning and night is a great step towards achieving beautiful glowing skin right now, and in the future as you age.
Don’t be tempted to pick at any spots or pimples. This will spread bacteria to other parts of your face and may cause more spots. Treat spots with a medicated blemish stick instead.
Skin Care For Teenagers
The following teenage skin care routine will help you to achieve healthy looking skin that glows…
In The Morning
1. Begin the day by washing your face with a clean, warm wash cloth, you can do this in the shower.
Make sure your hands are clean before you touch your face.
Alternatively you can use a gentle cleanser applied to the face with cotton wool balls – be sure to rinse away thoroughly with warm water.
Warm water helps to open up your pores to get them clean. Use gentle, circular motions to wash your face and do not drag or scrub the skin.
Be aware that some teenage skin care products can be too harsh especially the ones formulated to control acne.
Choose products that are as gentle and natural as possible – this is very important if you have dry or sensitive skin.
You don’t want the products you choose to aggravate your skin cause breakouts or redness.
2. After cleansing give your face a refreshing splash with some cold water. This helps to close and tighten the pores. Cold water also increases blood circulation to the skin, which can help to improve the complexion.
3. Use a clean towel to pat-dry your face, making sure you don’t rub at your face too vigorously. Dragging the skin can cause wrinkling and sagging in the future.
4. Apply a gentle moisturizer; one with natural ingredients is suitable for young skin. Don’t use heavy creams as these are not suitable for young skin, no matter what your skin type is.
Apply to your face using clean fingertips being careful, once again, not to drag your skin.
In The Evening
All you need to do at the end of the day, before you go to bed, is to follow the same, step-by-step skin care routine you used in the morning.
It’s vital to clean the skin at night after you have been out and about all day and especially if you have been wearing make up.
It can be tempting to forgo your evening skin care routine when you’re tired, but going to bed without cleansing your skin can lead to skin irritation, pore blockage and skin breakouts – something most teenagers want to avoid.
Look Good Forever
Twice daily cleansing and moisturizing will help to keep your skin clean and looking good. What’s more, by getting into the habit of good skin care now you can keep your skin looking clear, smooth and supple for many years to come.