Troubled Teens

Being a teenager is hard - whoever you happen to be, it is few and far between amongst adolescents who does not at one point or another feel completely swept away by a tide of hormones and insecurities, not least of all when it comes to skin problems: “in my experience people who had bad skin in their teens are still talking about it in their sixties - it’s extremely traumatic!” says Pamela Goody - therapist at Marriott Hotels’ Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire.

While a few tough lessons are par for the course however, there really is no benefit in simply sticking it out and sucking it up when it comes to teen skin problems; there is a wealth of information available and consultations to advise teens when it comes to developing good skincare routines to combat and prevent problem skin.

Passionate about skincare and a former acne sufferer herself, Goody explains the most common causes of problem skin and gives her advice on how to treat it!

Hormonal Hazards:

Hormonal changes are the major culprit for teen skin problems; and for girls, starting to wear make-up is also a factor.  Spots tend to form in the hair follicles - you are producing more oil on the skin and when the hair follicles get clogged and bacteria become imbalanced that’s when problems occur.

Sports Solutions:

Sports activities - particularly if they involve wearing headgear also tend to cause acne - when I worked in the States all the American Football players struggled with their skin - it’s important to wipe headgear down with surgical spirit to kill the germs and wash your face as well after use.

Temperamental Temperatures:

Changes in the weather can affect the skin as well - for everyone - in the warmer weather we produce more oil, and in the colder weather dryness and dehydration can cause congestion in the skin.

Wash Out:

Over washing can have an adverse effect; teens in particular often feel that over washing can help, but drying the skin out with over washing or harsh products will make it produce more oil in order to replace what it has lost.  Develop a proper skincare routine from an early age.  It varies from person to person with some starting as young as 10 or 12 years old, but as soon as you start to see changes in your skin you should start.  Wash your face in the morning and evening - I recommend the Decléor Pureté line - it is oxygenating so that bacteria cannot survive, it contains a digestive enzyme that breaks down existing bacteria and it’s gentle and hydrating as well.  To help prevent outbreaks on oily skin, Ylang Ylang oil, which Decléor also provide is also wonderful as it helps to slow down oil production and is purifying - a lot of teens find it a bit scary to put oil onto their skin, but it really does help!

Diet Demons:

Diet is important - doctors will always tell you that no food will cause spots - but a generally healthy or unhealthy lifestyle will have an effect.  If you have the occasional bag of sweets then it is not going to cause a problem unless you have a particular sensitivity to an ingredient, but if your overall diet is not healthy then it will show through your skin.

Nocturnal Activity:

Sleep - adequate sleep is vital - your skin detoxifies at night.  We sweat a lot to bring all the toxins to the surface; so it is very important to wash your face in the morning to stop those bi-products sitting on the skin.

Daily Detox:

Water - We are always being told that it’s incredibly good for us to drink lots of water, but one of the key reasons is that it helps the body to get rid of toxins, which will affect your skin.  In addition to replacing the water we lose during the day, the water we drink aids the detoxifying process at night.

For more advice or to go to Marriott Hanbury Manor visit Spabreaks.com or contact the team on: 0800 043 6600.

(Please note therapists are not able to offer treatments to customers under the age of 16 years, however are happy to offer advice and skin consultations).