Sue Scheff: Teen Love and Teen Sex
by Sue Scheff on Jul 28, 2010
Hollywood, Florida resident and world famous Love Psychic, Jill Dahne is speaking out to help educate and inform teens about sex today. As a parent of two beautiful children, Jill knows the importance of keeping the lines of communication open with her kids.
Jill Dahne stated that she has many teenagers emailing her and calling her about having sex, or worrying that they will never find a boyfriend or girlfriend.
This amazing Love Psychic, who has predicted over a thousand marriages, as well as listed as the #1 Love Psychic in The Top 100 Psychic’s in America, knows what is important in life. Family, friends and first and foremost love.
When asked about what was the most important message she wanted teens to know, she said:
“Teenagers today all want to fit in. They will call me or email me and tell me their parents can’t afford the expensive clothes or sneakers that others are wearing, or they feel they are ugly and can’t afford to get the highlights that many teen girls get. Body image is a major concern with many teen girls and you would be surprised how many boys are concerned about it too.”
Jill Dahne continues:
“I tell them over and over again, they need to learn to love themselves before they can love another person or even expect another person to love them back. Acceptance can be hard for teens, but if they look hard enough there is always something unique they have to offer that no one else has.”
For all the teens that continue to ask the famous Matchmaker and Love Psychic “if they should have sex“, the answer is always clear:
“Although I don’t think teens should be having sex, not only because of the risk of teen pregnancy but now the risks are higher with deadly STD’s. I am also not naive to the fact teens will have sex, so with that I always encourage them to talk to their parents, if they can, as well as learn about forms of protection. I refer many teens to TeenTalk which is a website that helps them understand their choices and options. I always reiterate to teens that just because you have sex with a person don’t assume the person is love with you.”
Jill Dahne wanted to add one more comment to teenagers:
“Love is magical, love is rewarding, love is trusting, love is a lot of things and at a young age it can sometimes be a facade. If you decide to have sex, be sure it is your decision and you are not being pressured into it. Understand the consequences and in many cases your teen love doesn’t end up being your soul mate.”
Special thank you to Jill Dahne for her time and insights. You can email Jill at jill@jilldahne.com or call her at 954-964-3541.
Tags: Sue Scheff, Teen Dating, Teen Love, Teen Sex, Teen Sex Education
Sue Scheff: Let’s Move Campaign – Help Beat Childhood Obesity
by Sue Scheff on Apr 12, 2010
First Lady Michelle Obama has made it her mission to create awareness on obesity in our country, especially among our children.
Recently she visited Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston, Florida. Falcon Cove Middle School students Lauren Shatanof, Rachel Shatanof and Taylor Duarte were summoned to the principal’s office Wednesday to speak to First Lady Michelle Obama.
“Can you have junk food everyday? No, you just can’t,” said Obama during a meeting in Washington.
The First Lady spoke to the trio from the White House, where she held a town hall meeting with an audience of other students about her Let’s Move anti-childhood obesity campaign. “You don’t have the ability to walk. You’re in your parents car or you’re on a bus, and then you get to school, and there’s no physical education programs,” said Obama.
The First Lady said her Let’s Move initiative is about promoting an active lifestyle and not focusing on appearances. She’s encouraging children to think about the choices they make in their own lives and to take responsibility for their own futures. – WSVN
Helping parents make healthy family choices is part of educating families on healthier eating habits. Obesity threatens the healthy future of one third of all American children. Obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years.
According to the CDC, children need 60 minutes of active and vigorous play every day to grow up to a healthy weight. Let’s Move to increase opportunities for kids to be physically active, both in and out of school and create new opportunities for families to be moving together.
Be an educated parent, you will have healthier children! Stay active and eat healthy as a family!
Tags: Childhood Obesity, Eating Healthy, Exercise, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Physical Education, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Teen Issues
Sue Scheff: 10 Common Myths About Eating Disorders
by Sue Scheff on Dec 01, 2009
During this time of year when eating and food seems to be more abundant, especially those sweets, as parents we need to be aware of our kids and teens and their eating habits. Eating Disorders can be common in many teens that are trying to fit into a clique or other emotional reason.
Carolyn Friedman, is working on her Masters and recently wrote an excellent article on “10 Common Myths Eating Disorders.” She asked me to share it with my readers. Take the time to read and learn more. You never know when you may need this knowledge. A short time ago, she also gave us the “10 Common Myths About Suicide.”
10 Common Myths About Eating Disorders
Like many mental illnesses and conditions, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa come prepackaged with a disconcerting number of misconceptions. Allowing these unfounded stereotypes to continuously creep through the public’s consciousness is a dangerous game with potentially lethal consequences. General confusion and ignorance regarding eating disorders further isolates and shames sufferers who already feel misunderstood, escalating their anxiety levels and increasing the risk of serious injury. These myths also prevent possible treatment for those who may have an eating disorder, but believe that their exclusion from one or more of the myths means they do not. Only by working tirelessly to dispel them can the eating disordered begin traveling down a relatively more positive road to recovery.
1. The media is to blame. : One of the most pervasive myths regarding eating disorders involves pointing fingers at movies, television shows, and magazines touting thinness (or, for men, lean and/or muscular as the only attractive body shape. With so many of the female eating disordered considering emaciated actresses, dancers, and models as “thinspiration,” it is easy to see how this misconception came into existence. However, anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders are far more complex and complicated than merely a construct of warped societal perceptions of attractiveness. While bombardment of supposedly glamorous waifs and taut bodybuilders negatively impacts the severity of eating disorders, in no way can it be considered the root cause, either. At their core, anorexia, bulimia, and their kin are mental illnesses related to brutal levels of anxiety and depression, which manifest themselves in erratic eating patterns and, in the most extreme cases, starvation. Psychologists and scientists are still trying to unlock any potential biological or behavioral origins that would better explain the nuances of eating disorders, but blame does not exclusively lay with the media. It does not help, but it also does not initiate.
2. Only women have eating disorders. : An estimated 5-15% of anorexia and bulimia cases are actually male, as are up to 35% of the binge eating disordered. While the staggering majority of sufferers are statistically female, the illnesses are not their exclusive domain by any means. Both men and women struggling with an eating disorder tend to display a distorted body image, though the former focuses more on musculature while the latter tends to zero in on becoming thinner. This myth is especially disconcerting, since stereotyping eating disorders as absolutely female prevents men and boys with the diseases from receiving a proper diagnosis and treatment. Even though the psychological profiles of male and female eating disordered carry the exact same behavioral, social, physical, and emotional symptoms, males who feel they may be suffering from anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder may end up denying themselves necessary medical care if they believe that only women can be diagnosed as such.
3. Only upper-class Caucasians have eating disorders. : Eating disorders do not discriminate based on race or socioeconomic bracket any more than they do on gender. Psychologists have diagnosed eating disorders on all continents, with the obvious exception of Antarctica, and at every income level. The University of California at Santa Barbara reports mostly equal instances of eating disorders amongst its Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic students. Like the myth that only women can be diagnosed with an eating disorder, the opinion that they also occur exclusively amongst Caucasians with upper-class backgrounds carries with it some bothersome implications. By adhering to the myth, sufferers of a comparatively lower socioeconomic bracket and/or different ethnicity may potentially reject the idea of seeking professional help altogether. Likewise, they also run the risk of ending up with a misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
4. The eating disordered are easy to spot because they are so thin. : Those suffering from an eating disorder cannot be spotted in a crowd any more than those with clinical depression, anxiety issues, and other common mental illnesses. The disease does not seek out specific body types any more than it does anything else. Many individuals are genetically predisposed to sport a skinny frame, and their appearance does not inherently indicate the presence of an eating disorder. Nor does someone with a comparatively larger frame clearly represent the absence of one. Women and men of all shapes and sizes can fall victim to eating disorders if they fit the psychological profile – there are absolutely no physical signs or symptoms associated with this mental illness. Disturbing images of skeletal bodies ravaged by anorexia or bulimia come only from the most extreme and prolonged cases. They serve as a sign of what the eating disordered can eventually become without attentive, supportive, and healthy medical and psychological treatment, but they are not to be considered illustrative of the majority of sufferers.
5. The eating disordered don’t eat. : If voluntary starvation was indicative of an eating disorder, many individuals with religious or sociopolitical reasons for abstaining from food who don’t otherwise display any signs of psychologically struggling with one would incur an incorrect diagnosis. The truth is, most eating disordered do actually eat as a means of veiling their illness from potentially concerned family and friends. Some choose to create a feeling of fullness by eating calorie–neutral foods such as celery, though some very rare and extreme cases have gone so far as to actually eat cotton balls. Others eat, but purge the contents of their digestive tract by inducing vomiting or taking laxatives later on. One of the most common eating disorders, eating disorder not otherwise specified, or EDNOS, is characterized by obsessively calculating and analyzing food intake. Binge eating disorder involves an almost uncontrollable compulsion to consume food, but without purging afterwards. Only the most severe, often un- or insufficiently treated, instances resort to outright starvation, but given their sensationalist nature they receive the brunt of the attention. This serves only to perpetuate the myth and drive it further into the public’s consciousness – family and friends worried that a loved one may be suffering from an eating disorder could potentially dismiss the idea once the individual in question eats in front of them.
6. Having an eating disorder is a lifestyle choice. : As with all mental illnesses, those suffering from an eating disorder do not elect to live life shackled with the associated stresses. Factors such as poor self-esteem, poor impulse control, depression, and anxiety all play a part in diagnosing an individual with an eating disorder. The label of “lifestyle choice” implies some level of control, as if the sufferer can phase in and out of their symptoms voluntarily. Adhering to a healthy diet and exercise regimen are both lifestyle choices, but when they are carried out to excessive, compulsive extremes they cease to be considered as such and instead end up as indicators of something far more serious. This lack of control and overall sense of being trapped separates the eating disordered from those simply desiring to lose weight for health reasons. Eating disordered individuals display a complex network of emotional, mental, and physical issues that completely negate any perceptions that they have simply made the choice to hurt themselves.
7. Nobody dies from an eating disorder. : If left untreated or undiagnosed, an eating disorder is one of the few common mental illnesses that can actually kill the host. As a result of unhealthy and inadequate eating habits, sufferers can fall victim to permanent liver, heart, brain, and kidney damage. Inefficient and injured organs potentially lead to a coma, even death. 5-10% of anorexics die within the first ten years of diagnosis, 18-20% after twenty, and 20% will eventually die due to physical complications or suicide. Because of prevailing stigmas and misconceptions, only one in ten eating disordered individuals are estimated to enter into a treatment plan. By driving stakes into these horrifying myths, the psychological community and active, concerned members of society can hopefully save many more lives from ending as a result of a treatable medical condition.
8. The eating disordered only care about looking pretty. : One of the nastiest, most degrading stigmas associated with eating disorders involves taunts and callous dismissals of its victims as shallow, petty bubbleheads concerned only with the pursuit of the insanely specific and unrealistic Hollywood ideal of what constitutes beauty. This blasts a giant and entirely unnecessary rift between the eating disordered and mainstream society, furthering miring them in misunderstood isolation and precluding attempts to seek solace and treatment before it becomes too late. Faced with adversity and scorn from external sources, many choose to simply soldier forth and accept their cruel, anxious fate, believing that even extensive psychotherapy cannot cure them. At their very core, eating disorders are not inherently about food or appearance or beauty. They are about depression, poor self-esteem and self-image, and anxiety. While media blitzes of PhotoShopped celebrities do, in fact, actively help reinforce the issue, they also do not stand as the primary reason why men and women alike succumb to eating disorders.
9. Eating disorders are not illnesses. : The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision officially recognizes four eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, rumination syndrome, and EDNOS. Many professionals in the psychological community also recognize binge eating disorders, which are under consideration for inclusion in future publications of the DSM. Because of their inclusion in a an official diagnostic manual used by the psychological and medical communities, eating disorders ought to be regarded as serious illnesses and handled as such.
10. An individual cannot have more than one eating disorder. : A logical assumption, but it is actually incorrect. Because anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS, and rumination syndrome all share common symptoms and underlying issues, some sufferers have been known to drift from one to another in order to try and satiate the depression and anxiety. It is not uncommon for a bulimic to quit a system of binging and purging and resort to eating inadequately, and the same is true in reverse. Professionals as well as concerned family and friends must pay close attention in order to detect subtle shifts in behavior that may signify the presence of multiple eating disorders.
By making an earnest effort to promote an awareness and understanding of eating disorders, millions of lives all over the world can be improved, if not outright saved. Unfortunately, numerous presumptions, misconceptions, and absolute lies prevent many men and women from realizing they suffer from an eating disorder, therefore precluding them from seeking the therapy that could very well mean the difference between life and death. Spreading the truth and destroying these dangerous falsehoods stands as the best method of preventing the suffering of more individuals who do not realize that they are not beyond health, happiness, and hope.
Tags: Aneroxia, Binge Eating, Bulimia, Eating Disorders, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Body Image, Teen Depression, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Teen Self Esteem
Sue Scheff: Teen Girls and the Pressure to be Thin
by Sue Scheff on Sep 19, 2009
It seems girls especially are starting earlier in your childhood years to worry about being thin. The peer pressure as well as wanting to be like their celebrity idols can lead to girls with a false sense of reality. Is your teen struggling with their self esteem? Don’t like the way they look? Be an educated parent, take the time to read these parenting tips and information.
Source: Connect with Kids
Pressures to be Thin
“My friend thinks that people who are thin are smart and popular.”
– Hannah, 8 years old
What makes a 10-year-old girl happy? Dolls? Brightly colored dresses? A new puppy? According to a study of over 400,000 Canadian children, the answer is being thin.
“My friend thinks that people that are thin are smart and popular,” says Hannah, 8.
Sinay, 9, says the same thing, “I have a friend and she thinks that people that are thinner are smarter and prettier.”
Researchers surveying young girls find that girls are happiest when they’re thin. And, even as young as ten, over seven percent of the girls are unhappy with their body.
“I am seeing more and more mothers calling me with very young girls, pediatric age, who are struggling with fears of gaining weight (or) wanting to lose weight,” says Page Love, an Atlanta nutritionist and eating disorder counselor.
Experts say young girls are taking cues from a weight-conscious society—movies, television, and magazines—and from home.
“Often it may be hearing their mom talk about dieting, growing up in a house where all they’ve ever known is fat-free condiments and diet meals,” says Love. “And hearing mom talk about not being happy about (her) own weight.”
Love says parents should censor negative messages about weight and body size, in the media, and in their own conversations. “Because the kids will start to pick up on it and this sets the stage for how they will start to judge and evaluate different body sizes including their own.”
And if parents are careful, children can learn another message about their bodies.
“I think it’s beautiful and I take care of it a lot,” says Hannah.
“I am perfect the way I am,” says a self-confident Sinay.
Tips for Parents
Research has shown that as girls move from grade school age into their teen years they are more at risk than boys for suffering a drop in self-esteem. In fact, research shows for some girls, this loss of self- esteem is already present by the age of 5.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University examined the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a group of girls five years of age. The researchers found:
- Girls with higher weight status (weight above average) reported more negative feelings about their bodies than girls with lower weight status.
- Girls with higher weight status had lower perceived cognitive ability than did girls with lower weight status.
- All girls, independent of their weight status, reported more negative feelings about their bodies and/or cognitive abilities if their parents were overly concerned about body weight.
According to The Center for Effective Parenting, self-esteem can be defined as how people feel about themselves. The recent research reinforces the idea that children begin forming beliefs about themselves early in life. These beliefs evolve from an interaction between their biological, inborn traits such as temperament, intelligence and physical characteristics, and environmental influences such as parenting style of their parents and children’s relationships with other adults and peers. When children are criticized or ignored they can develop negative feelings about themselves. If not corrected, these negative feelings can follow children throughout life, coloring their level of achievement in academics and relationships.
The Center for Effective Parenting provides many ideas on what parents can do to help their children develop healthy levels of self-esteem. These include:
- Praise your children. Praise must be specific and sincere to have a positive effect. Focus on the positive things your children do.
- Show your children lots of love and affection with words and physical actions.
- Treat your children with respect. You should treat your children with the same amount of respect that you would show to a friend.
- Be consistent. Children need things to be predictable in their lives. Set the rules and consistently enforce them.
- Don’t demand perfection from your children. Children need to know that their parents accept them for who they are—flaws and all. Instead of criticizing children when they make a mistake, parents should try to turn these mistakes into learning experiences. Ease up on pressure and offer praise and encouragement.
- Pay attention to you own behavior and attitudes. How parents feel about themselves and the world around them is reflected in their behavior. Children model their behavior and attitudes after their parents. Parents can’t expect their children to develop a healthy attitude about themselves unless they first see this healthy attitude in their parents.
- Listen to and respond to your children. Make sure you give your children your complete attention. Try to answer children’s questions as honestly and completely as possible.
- Don’t let your children criticize themselves. When you catch your child being self-critical, you need to correct him, otherwise your child may believe that you agree with his negative comments.
- Teach your child to use positive self-talk. The more children repeat good things about themselves to themselves, the more likely they will be to actually believe them and incorporate the positive feelings that go along with them.
Keep in mind that all children will experience fluctuations in their self-esteem. Parents need to watch out for patterns of behavior that don’t seem to disappear with time. If you have concerns, consult your health care provider or mental health professional.
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Pediatrics
- The Center for Effective Parenting
Tags: Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Sue Scheff, Teen Eating Disorders, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Teen Peer Pressure, Teen Self Esteem
Sue Scheff: Teen Self Image – Body Dysmorphic Disorder
by Sue Scheff on Aug 14, 2009
Today’s teens are more concerned than ever about being able to fit in, express their individuality as well as deal with peer pressure. As soon is opening take the time to talk with your kids about how they are feeling, and always let them know how beautiful they are, both inside and outside.
Source: Connect with Kids
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
“I realized something today: I would rather be dead than be ugly.”
– Francy, 19, suffers from Body Dysmorphic Disorder
One of the stranger parts of Michael Jackson’s life was called Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD): an obsession with how you look, particularly a fixation on a physical defect, whether real or imagined. An estimated nine million Americans suffer from the disorder.
“It’s an overwhelming anxiety, you just feel so ugly and so disgusting, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” says 19 year-old Francy. She’s been suffering from BDD for almost ten years.
Emory University psychiatrist, Dr. Philip Ninan explains, “Body Dysmorphic Disorder is a sense of imagined ugliness that the person perceives there’s something wrong with the way they look.”
Though no one else can see them, when Francy looks in the mirror, all she can see are flaws. “I see my face being way too round. My skin looks blotchy. My lips look too small. (My) hair looks frizzy and flat,” she says.
Every teenager worries about how they look, but BDD is much more. It is a mental disorder and usually begins in adolescence. It can be debilitating. Francy says, “I probably spent hours a day in front of the mirror. If I’m having an attack, I can’t leave the mirror; I can’t look away. And your mind is racing while you’re looking in the mirror, and it’s just, you’re telling yourself how ugly and disgusting you are. You know there’s a lot of times when I just want to lock myself up in my room and look in the mirror all day ‘cause it’s so hard to be around other people.”
Many people with BDD avoid social situations altogether or worse. “I realized something today. I would rather be dead than be ugly,” Francy reads from a computer bulletin board posting.
Dr. Ninan says she’s not alone. “The risk of suicide attempts is relatively high with people with this kind of problem.” That’s why getting the proper treatment is crucial. Anti-depressants and cognitive-behavior therapy have been successful. And without it, BDD won’t go away, something Francy knows firsthand. “I know I need to get on medicine. I can’t do this alone anymore,” she reads.
Experts say online support groups like the one Francy posts to can be an important step in getting kids to realize they need help. Discovering that they’re not alone, and hearing from others with the same problem can be invaluable.
Tips for Parents
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is listed in the DSM-IV under somatization disorders (the conversion of anxiety into physical symptoms), but clinically it seems to have similarities to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). BDD is a preoccupation with an imagined physical defect in appearance or a vastly exaggerated concern about a minimal defect. The preoccupation often regards facial features, hair or odor, and can cause significant impairment in the individual’s life where the affected thinks about his or her perceived defect for at least an hour per day. The affected individual may fear social ridicule, may consult dermatologists or plastic surgeons, and may undergo painful or risky procedures in an attempt to change the perceived defect. Among the detrimental effects of BDD are constraints on friendships and difficulty in concentrating on schoolwork because of obsessive thoughts on appearance. BDD can lead to social isolation, school dropout, major depression, unnecessary surgery, and even self-amputation or suicide. Behaviors associated with BDD include:
- Frequent glancing in reflective surfaces.
- Avoiding mirrors.
- Comparison to photographs of other females (this trait rarely surfaces in BDD males).
- Skin picking.
- Repeated measuring or touching the defect.
- Repeated requests for reassurance of the defect.
- Elaborate grooming rituals.
- Camouflaging one’s appearance with the hand, a hat or makeup.
- Avoiding social situations where others may see the defect.
- Avoiding social situations where photographs may be taken.
- Anxiety in social situations.
- Predetermined positioning, or sitting in a preplanned place they perceive as having flattering lighting and showing their “good side.”
This disorder often begins in adolescence. It is often difficult to get individuals with BDD to seek the treatment they need through a psychiatrist as they consider their problem to be physical rather than mental. Should the individual see a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, a good technique is to inform that doctor of the situation in advance. This physician can then strategically encourage the patient to accept the help of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Treatment of BDD usually involves:
- SSRI medications like sertraline or fluoxetine.
- Cognitive-behavior psychotherapy where the doctor helps the patient resist their compulsions.
- Family behavioral treatment.
- Gradual, progressive facing of feared situations.
- Discouraging surgical remedies.
- Therapy to help the patient understand that his/her perceptions are distorted.
- Involvement in support groups.
References
- BDD Central
- Dictionary.com
- eMedicine
- Northern County Psychiatric Associates
Tags: Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Body Image, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Teen Self Image
Sue Scheff: Teen Truth Live – Teen Bullying, Peer Pressure, Body Image and more
by Sue Scheff on Aug 12, 2009
Recently I received an email introducing me to TEEN TRUTH LIVE films.
As school is opening, I encourage parents, teens, teachers, guidance counselors, therapist and everyone that works with today’s teens to watch these films.
They cover teen drug abuse, bullying, teen body image, peer pressure and much more. An education that everyone can benefit from.
About Teen Truth Live:
Tags: Bullying, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Struggling Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Body Image, Teen Depression, Teen Drug Use, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Troubled Teens
Sue Scheff: Top Ten Teenage Acne Tips
by Sue Scheff on Aug 10, 2009
Johanna Curtis, a licensed skin professional, gives us some informational tips on teenage acne. As soon is opening soon, many teens are concerned about their appearances, not only what clothes they will wear, and their hair, but what about their skin and if they do suffer with teen acne? Learn more.
By If you or your teenage son or daughter from acne, take heart in the fact that you are not alone. More than 90% of teenagers suffer from at least some level of acne. It doesn’t matter where you’re from; it doesn’t matter what you look like. Puberty throws the hormones into turmoil and acne can very often be one of the distressing results.
Psychological Effects
While adults worry about world peace, global warming and the credit crunch (and we might think many of these worries are prompted by our children), teenagers worry about acne. For many teenagers, suffering from acne is actually their biggest fear.
With teenage acne psychological effects can be severe. Some are so embarrassed about their skin condition that they literally won’t leave the house. It’s not fair, but teenage acne strikes just when young men and women are just starting to make their own sense of the world and get a sense of their place within it. Acne in teenagers can have a detrimental effect on how they interact with people and the relationships they form, both now and in the future. As a parent, if your child is suffering with their skin condition, you owe it to them to arm yourself with information on teenage acne. You need to help them through this difficult time, rather than belittling their fears. The acne may not seem severe to you but it might to your son or daughter.
It’s just not fair, is it? You’re watching your teen struggling with learning about themselves and deciding who they want to be. Then acne comes along and blows apart the self-image they were just building. Suddenly pimples and blemishes have turned their faces into a minefield. It’s so upsetting!
But since just about every teen suffers from some level of acne, you just have to tell them to suck it up and get on with their lives, right?… WRONG!
Information is the Key to an Acne Cure
Armed with the correct information on teenage acne you can really help your teen find a cure for their skin condition.
Why is Acne in Teenagers so Common?
It’s all the fault of puberty. It’s at this time that the body becomes a melting pot of androgens, the ‘male’ hormones that both males and females have. Boys have more of them and that is why acne in teenagers is most common in boys.
The androgens stimulate the skin’s natural production of sebum, the oil which keeps our skin soft and hydrated. As a result, too much oil is produced, causing the dead skin cells which should just slough off to be held onto at the surface of the skin. That trapped dead skin blocks the pores and effectively cork up the pores so oil and bacteria can’t get out of the pores. That trapped oil makes the pores swell and the body, in its own smart way, tries to rectify the problem, sending in white blood cells to combat the bacteria. That results in painful red pimples and ugly blackheads: in short – acne.
So how can you cure acne in teenagers?
The key to curing in acne in teenagers is twofold:
- Prevention
- Cure
Unlike most other health problems, with acne in teenagers the cure tends to be easier than the prevention. As you have read, a major causal factor in teenage acne is the increased sebum production from puberty. There’s not a lot you can do about that, but there are many other things you can do to combat the problem with the right know-how.
Here are some top teenage acne tips that can help prevent or lessen further acne breakouts, and cure the acne that you already have.
1. Keep your skin very clean. Twice daily washing will help to remove the excess sebum from your skin.
2. While you need to keep your skin clean, be careful not to wash too much. Use warm, not hot water, and a mild cleanser. Washing too harshly will just cause your glands to create even more sebum.
3. Use a gentle exfoliator. Don’t scrub at your skin too much but a gentle facial exfoliant will help to remove the dead skin cells that could potentially block your pores.
4. Avoid toners which contain alcohol. Alcohol will only dry out your skin’s top layer, causing your skin to over-compensate by producing even more oil. That will only result in more pimples.
5. Never pick or squeeze your acne spots. That will just introduce more bacteria to the skin, leaving it inflamed and it may even cause an infection. That can also cause you scars which may never disappear.
6. Keep your hands away from your face. The acne causing bacteria is something we always have on our skin but it only causes a problem when it gets trapped in your pores. Rubbing your face or resting your chin in your hands will help to push the bacteria deep into your skin, where is can create acne in teenagers.
7. Choose non-comedogenic and oil-free skin products and make-up. There is no sense introducing more oil to your skin. That will only further encourage blocked pores which cause acne.
8. Take care in the sun. Small amounts of sun exposure are good for acne in teenagers but you should avoid sunburn, which will only make you shed dead skin cells more quickly, leading to more blocked pores. Also, certain sunblock preparations can worsen acne in teenagers so you need to be careful when you try a new sunblock.
9. Avoid accessories that will rub your skin. Hats and headbands are the main culprits. This is important because heat and friction can really cause acne to flare up. The need to avoid friction like this is a reason you should also shower immediately after exercise so you don’t have sweaty skin rubbing together.
10. Find what works for you – and stick with it. For most acne in teenagers, an over the counter acne cure is effective. You just need to persevere with it a while.
To avoid teenage acne psychological effects and cure the problem before it becomes severe, you should follow these teenage acne tips in your daily life. Make them part of your life and you should have less of a problem with acne in teenagers.
Learn more on Johanna’s website at http://teenage-acne.net/
Tags: Parenting, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Sue Scheff, Teen Acne, Teen Body Image, Teen Help, Teen Self Esteem, Teen Skin Care
Sue Scheff: Girls and Body Image: The Importance of Staying Connected
by Sue Scheff on Aug 02, 2009
I love Dara Charwick and her insights, advices and tips for girls today! Her recent article in Psychology Today will offer you great parenting tips and resources. Don’t forget to check out Dara’s new book, You’d Be Pretty If….
Source: Psychology Today
Girls and Body Image: The Importance of Staying Connected
We all know that the afterschool hours and unsupervised summer days can be dangerous times for tweens and teens. Drug and alcohol use, sexual activity and other “troublesome” activities have all been shown to increase in the hours when kids are alone in an empty house. I was a fairly well-behaved kid, but the afterschool hours held another kind of danger for me when I was a middle-schooler: Overeating.
Those empty hours when my parents were at work and my high school-aged brothers were off at sports practices were the time when I first learned to see food as a source of comfort. If I had a bad day at school, I’d grab a snack — or two. Bored? A bowl of ice cream would occupy my time. Lonely? A couple of cookies might make me feel better.
That’s why new information just out from researchers with the University of Minnesota Project Eating Among Teens had me nodding my head. Among other things, the collected data indicates that kids crave connection and that feeling a lack of it has a strong influence on the development of eating disorders. “Lack of family connectedness, including not eating family meals together, was found to increase the risk of disordered eating behaviors in both young males and females,” according to a release from the University of Minnesota.
There are other factors at play, of course, but as a parent, the link to family connectedness is real food for thought. Like so many others, we’re a busy family with kids who are involved in multiple sports and activities. It’s all too easy to separate and fly off in different directions — and not take the time to come together as a family for a meal and a re-cap of the day.
With just a few more weeks until the start of school, I’m already thinking about how we can strengthen our connectedness as a family once the hustle and bustle of fall begins. Eating meals together is a priority, of course (if dinner together isn’t possible, breakfast will work!), but so is making time for conversation. Tweens and teens can be notoriously slippery when it comes to conversing — if you’re having trouble talking to yours, check out my seven tips for talking to your daughter.
Tags: Girls Self Image, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Sue Scheff, Teen Body Issues, Teen Issues, Teen Self Esteem
Sue Scheff: Teens and Body Piercing
by Sue Scheff on Jul 30, 2009
As a parent I went through my struggles when my daughter was a teenager and wanting to “express” herself with body piercing, starting with the belly button. Personally, I don’t care for these types of “self image” expression, but who am I to judge? Just a parent that grew up in another generation. What I find disturbing is the tattoo parlors and others that allow these “kids” to have body piercings and tattoo’s without a parent’s permission. Guess I am old fashion. I did take my daughter (way back when) and permitted the belly button ring, I figured it was better than the tongue or the eyebrow – which she later did behind my back! Good news is – as a young adult, she grew out of all of it and thankfully my life with teens is in the past. Oh – but remember, you can learn from my mistakes! PS: She also got a tattoo (as a minor) which I didn’t allow, but what can you do? Gotta love these teens…. or at least survive them!
Here is another good article with parenting tips from Connect with Kids on Body Piercing.
Source: Connect with Kids
“I have a lot of patients that have tongue bars, and I’ve seen a lot of damaged teeth from them.”
– Dr. David Montgomery, a dentist
More than half of all teens with tattoos or body piercings get them without their parent’s permission, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. And oftentimes, that means no one is warning these kids about infections, scarring, and broken teeth.
Connie, 24, has a piece of metal piercing her tongue. Two weeks ago she was eating dinner, “And I bit down really hard on it, and I just, it hurt, I just felt like something fell off,” she says. She bit down on the metal in her tongue, and what fell off was part of her tooth.
Nineteen-year-old Aaron broke a tooth the same way. “I was eating some Chex mix or something, and just bit down, and crack,” he says.
Broken teeth, scarring, hepatitis, even AIDS …any piercing on any part of the body can go wrong. In fact, researchers from Texas Tech University found that a belly button piercing has a 45 percent chance of getting infected.
It happened to Camille, 23. “It grew kinda swollen, and just kinda puss-ey,” she says.
Then, Camille got her upper ear pierced and that filled with puss, too. “Okay, that one really, really hurt,” she says. I’m not going to lie, it really, really hurt.”
And some teens get hurt and don’t even know it. “The first thing we do when we see a patient with a tongue bar is we’re going to go in and look for broken teeth,” says Dr. David Montgomery, a dentist. “We’ve had patients in that haven’t realized, and they’ve had THREE broken teeth,” he explains.
Experts say inserting a piece of metal into your skin is hazardous. But despite the dangers, the trend is only getting more popular. So, if your child insists, and you allow it, make sure he or she goes someplace clean and professional. “And have it done right, rather than by a family friend or another adolescent,” says Dr. Rick Lloyd, a pediatrician with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Tips for Parents
Piercing is becoming a more prevalent form of body art and self-expression in today’s society. However, oral piercings, which involve the tongue (the most common site), lips, cheeks, uvula or a combination of sites, have been implicated in a number of adverse oral and systemic conditions. In fact, the American Dental Association recently cited oral piercing as a public health hazard. It says the piercing of oral structures presents risks of infection because of vast amount of bacteria in the mouth.
Patients typically undergo piercing procedures without anesthetic. In tongue piercing, for example, a barbell-shaped piece of jewelry typically is placed transverse to the thickness of the tongue at the midline in its anterior one-third using a needle. Initially, a temporary device longer than the jewelry of choice is placed to accommodate post-piercing swelling. The free end of the barbell stem then is inserted into the hole in a ventral-dorsal direction. The recipient grasps the free end of the shank between the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth and screws the ball onto the stem. The barbell also can be placed laterally, with the studs on the dorsolateral lingual surface. In the absence of complications, healing takes four to six weeks.
In lip or cheek piercing, jewelry position (usually a labrette) is determined primarily by aesthetics with consideration to where the jewelry will rest intraorally. Once position is determined, a cork is usually placed inside the mouth to support the tissue as it is pierced with a needle. The needle is inserted through the tissue and into the cork backing. The needle then is replaced with the labrette stud, and the disc backing is screwed into place. Healing time can range from weeks to months.
After piercing, teens may experience the following side effects:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Increased salivary flow
- Infection
The potential for serious infection occurs during tattooing and body piercing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the needles that are used to penetrate the skin at various sites on the body can become contaminated by blood or serum.
HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses are present in blood and spread by infected blood entering another person’s bloodstream. This contamination can occur during tattooing or body piercing, when needles used for penetrating the skin are contaminated with infected blood or serum and are not sterilized before use on another person.
Blood or serum does not have to be visible on an instrument or needle for infection to be transmitted. It is important to note that all instruments that penetrate the skin of a person, including needles and attachments such as nozzles bars and tubes, must be sterile.
Infectious disease specialists, like Dr. Arnold Lentnek, caution that preventing teens from piercing their lips, cheeks or tongues may take more than a stern warning.
“And I think it’s going to be difficult to dissuade them by telling them about the problems that may theoretically occur down the road,” Dr. Letnek says.
In order to deter your teen from getting a tattoo or piercing, the University of Iowa Health Care’s Virtual Hospital suggests reminding your teen of the following problems associated with body art:
- Unsterile tattooing and piercing equipment and needles can spread serious infection, hepatitis, tetanus or even HIV.
- Asking a friend to apply a tattoo may ruin a friendship if the tattoo doesn’t look like you thought it would.
- Tattoo removal is very expensive. A tattoo that costs $50 to apply may cost more than $1,000 to remove.
- The law in many states prohibits the tattooing of minors.
- Tattoos are not easy to remove and in some cases may cause permanent discoloration. Think carefully before getting a tattoo. You can’t take it back if you don’t like it.
- Some people are allergic to the tattoo dye. Their body will work to reject the tattoo.
- Blood donations cannot be made for a year after getting a tattoo, body piercing or permanent makeup.
References
- American Dental Association
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- University of Iowa Health Care’s Virtual Hospital
Tags: Body Piercing, Parenting, parenting advice, Sue Scheff, Tattoos, Teen Body Image, Teen Issues, Teens Body Piercing
Sue Scheff: Seven Tips for Talking to Your Daughter
by Sue Scheff on Jul 23, 2009
Dara Chadwick, author of You’d Be So Pretty If…: Teaching Our Daughters to Love Their Bodies — Even When We Don’t Love Our Own and freelance journalist, writes an excellent Blog with information for parents about raising girls today. Dara is always very encouraging and helps promote positive self esteem and body image. Please take the time to read her latest Blog post:
Seven Tips for Talking to Your Daughter
My Twitter pal and fellow body image warrior Andrea Owen sent me a link to this guest post she wrote recently for the blog, “It Starts With Us.” I found myself nodding along as I read Andrea’s thoughts, especially when she got to the part about how important it is to talk to our girls. But a recent exchange I had with my 13-year-old daughter made me realize that for some moms and daughters, talking just isn’t that easy.
It went like this: My daughter mentioned a conversation that she and I had to a friend of hers and her friend said, “I can’t believe you talk to your mom about that!”
When she relayed her friend’s reaction to me, I could tell that my daughter was both proud of the fact that she and I talk about such things and concerned that it was OK for her to talk to me because some of her friends don’t talk to their moms like we talk. Why don’t they? she wondered.
Sometimes, it’s fear…or embarrassment…or just plain awkwardness. And sometimes, moms just don’t know how to talk to their girls about sensitive topics. But it can be done — all it takes is a little strategy:
1. Let her lead. If she starts to tell you about something that happened to a friend or a character in a movie or even someone she doesn’t know (but heard about), it’s often a sign that she wants to open the door to conversation.
2. Tread carefully. Don’t swoop in with your opinion or advice. Let her talk. When she pauses, ask gentle questions like, “Why do you think she said that?” or “How do you think that made her feel?” to keep the conversation going.
3. Listen. That one needs no explanation.
4. Share your experiences — within reason. Sure, you can talk about your own adolescent experiences, but remember that her experiences might not be anything like yours. Don’t assume that because this is how it was for you, that’s how it’ll be for her. If she says things like, “You don’t understand” or “Things are different now,” that’s your cue to back off and focus on listening, not talking.
5. Keep it confidential. If she shares something with you in confidence, there’s no sharing it with your husband, friends or anyone else, unless she’s in some sort of danger.
6. Know when to stop. Some topics require more than one conversation. Don’t keep pushing; let her talk and when she’s had enough, stop. You can always revisit the topic once she’s had a chance to think about some of the things you’ve had to say. Don’t lecture or be a broken record; she’ll just tune you out.
7. Never use her words against her. I can’t stress this enough. If she confides in you or shares something with you, never bring it up during an argument or at other times of emotional distress.
Above all, let her know you love her and that she can come to you with anything. If you keep the door open, chances are, she’ll use it.
Follow Dara Chadwick on Twitter @DaraChadwick
Visit her website at http://www.youdbesoprettyif.com/
Tags: Parenting, Parenting Teen Girls, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Sue Scheff, Teen Body Image, Teen Help, Teen Issues
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss-rogers.png "Validate my RSS feed")