Surviving the Teen Years: A Parents' Guide to Teen Skincare

If you are the parent of a teenager, you know that one of the (many) plights of the teenage years is dealing with acne and breakouts. To a teenager, finding a pimple on picture day or having a severe acne breakout the night before a school dance seems like the end of the world. If you are floundering on how to help your son or daughter care for their skin, check out this guide from Brush On Block.

 
Encourage your teen to clean their face every single day. Teens these days are super busy. Between school, sports, clubs and social gatherings, it can be tempting to head straight to bed when they finally get home. Encourage your teen to wash their face every night, even if they don’t shower. If they are struggling with severe acne and breakouts, encourage them to wash their faces twice a day—once in the morning and once before bed. Also, teach them to exfoliate. Boys might think that exfoliation sounds like something only for girls, but it is actually an important part of skincare for everyone.
 
Teach your teen to avoid touching his or her face. According to research, the average person can touch their face up to 16 times every hour, and oils, bacteria, viruses and allergens transfer from your fingertips to your skin.
 
Teach your daughter that less is more when it comes to makeup. Caking on layers of makeup does not allow your skin to breathe. While young girls who are first starting to experiment with makeup tend to overdo it, teach your daughter to keep it light. Also, encourage her to wash her makeup off every night, because sleeping in makeup leads to breakouts, among other skin issues.
 
Feed your teens a healthy diet. Too much soda, fried foods and sweets can cause breakouts and oily skin. A healthy diet of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E and zinc will help reduce inflammation, protect skin from cell damage and support skin growth. Another great way to keep your skin looking clear and fresh is to stay hydrated.
 
Consult your family doctor. If daily skin care and over-the-counter face washes and cleansers are not doing the trick, take your teen to see their doctor. He or she may recommend a prescription acne medicine or refer you to a dermatologist.
 
Keep in mind that your teen should still wear a broad spectrum sunblock anytime he or she is outdoors—rain, shine, hot or cold. Brush On Block® Broad Spectrum SPF 30 mineral powder sunscreen contains naturally-occurring ingredients titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to provide full coverage protection, and all the ingredients in Brush On Block work together to enrich, soothe and replenish skin.