Sue Scheff: Teens and Back Acne
Many teens suffer with acne, not only on their face, but it can spread on their back and chest. Help learn more about your teen’s skin care, since teenage acne can cause other issues, such as depression from low self esteem.
Back Your Kids Over Cures for Back Acne
By Johanna Curtis, Licensed Skin Professional
Back acne is so common in teenagers that it’s even acquired its own slang name: ‘bacne’. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s popular. When one thinks of acne, one most often thinks of it affecting the face, but other areas of the body such as the chest and back can be affected by the redness, spots and pustules of acne. This can be particularly uncomfortable as these areas are usually clothed and thus kept warmer, which increases the irritation and worsens the acne.
Although back acne symptoms and back acne treatment are similar to those of any type of acne, causes of back acne are quite different. There is not the inherited genetic element to back acne as there are with many types of acne. Food also has little effect on back acne.
Acne of any kind can make the teenage years so miserable, sapping confidence and making the teen sufferer just want to hide away. As parents, you are very often the ones who will have to seek help on behalf of your child. You may also realize upon reading this article that your partner or another family member suffers from the same condition, as back acne can start as young as age ten and persist or even occur for the first time, as late as a person’s forties. They may not know why they are itching as uncomfortable until you let them know they have developed acne, but thankfully you can, at the same time, let them know about back acne treatment such as back acne retin A.
Types of Back Acne
Back acne can take many different forms, and can be mild, with just a few whiteheads evident, or it can become a serious condition as in cystic acne. Most often, back acne is a simple condition and so are the cures for back acne. To find a cure, it’s important to understand what causes back acne.
What Causes Back Acne?
As with all other types of acne, there are several causes of back acne. Puberty is a usual culprit, which affects the functioning of the oil glands in the skin, causing them to go into overdrive and create too much oil. It’s those overactive hormones again that we all know teens have! Androgens, which both boys and girls have, stimulate the oil glands sited just below the skin. That causes extra oil to be secreted through the pores and when this happens the pores can become blocked, as can the hair follicles. That clogging prevents dead skin cells from being shed effectively, so you are left with quite a sludge of oil and dead skin blocking the pores. Bacteria build up, and acne develops.
Back acne can appear on other parts of the body, such as the chest and can be very painful, creating lesions and cysts which necessitate treatment. The actual causes of back acne are not known beyond a doubt, but certain factors exacerbate the situation:
- Tight clothing
- Heavy backpacks
- Excessive sweating
These are often things that teenagers have without giving them a second thought, so if you have a family member who suffers from back acne, you should advise them to avoid these triggers.
The Cure is Better Than Prevention
Yes, that’s not usually the way we think of things. In this condition, though, treatment is easier than trying to prevent the condition which can be seen as an almost inevitable part of going through puberty.
Back acne retin A is an effective and easy to use treatment, as are several other topical cures for back acne. These will cure all the typical acne symptoms that you may find on your back and chest as on any other body part:
- Whiteheads
- Blackheads
- Pustules
- Papules
and even cysts.
One should avoiding picking and squeezing the acne as this can slow down the healing and create scars which may never be got rid of.
Over the counter cures for back acne are readily available. Back acne retin A is just one such product. A good daily washing and cleansing routine with mild products is important. More serious back acne treatment from a dermatologist may be needed in cases of acne which has a lot of cysts. This should always be something for which you consult a professional over back acne treatment.
Tags: Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Acne, Teen Skin Care
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