Think back, way back for some of us, to your teen years when you were standing in front of a mirror staring at the huge zit on your face. Thoughts were racing through your mind. 'How did it get there?' and more importantly, 'How were you going to get it off before someone actually sees it?' Now keep this thought in the back of your mind. You're going to need to draw some sympathy from it when your teen is asking for five bucks more to try yet another acne medication, face wash, cream, etc.
The truth is no one is sure what causes acne. Scientists think a hormone called androgen plays a role. Androgen stimulates the sebum-producing glands. After puberty, boys produce 10 times as much androgen as girls. Therefore, more boys tend to develop severe cases of acne than girls, but that does not mean that some girls won't develop a severe case.
Fast Facts:
- Acne most often starts at around age 11 for girls and 13 for boys.
- There's no scientific evidence to back up the claims that junk food and greasy foods cause acne. But, if your see an increase in acne after your teen eats these foods, have them cut back on eating them.
- A whopping 85 percent of the U.S. population between ages 12 and 25 develops some form acne.
- There's no scientific evidence to back up the claims that oily skin or hair causes acne. But if your teen is experiencing more pimples under their bangs for instance, it might be a good idea to change their hair style.
- Some studies have shown that up to 70 percent of women notice their acne worsening the week before their periods.
- If you or your spouse had problem acne as a teenager, there is more of a likelihood that your teen will experience this.
- There's no scientific evidence to back up the claims that stress brings on acne. But many teens experience a break out right before big events in their lives. A little sympathy, and reassurance can help here.
