Question: Hi Valentina, my teen daughter is just starting to develop teen acne. We’ve tried a few acne creams but it doesn’t seem to be helping yet. Should she start getting facials? She is only 14, is she too young? What else can we do to help clear up these pimples?
Valentina: Thank you for writing. Unfortunately, acne is a common occurrence for most teens as their bodies and hormones change. The good news is that we can help prevent and treat acne, and I recommend that you start right away, 14 is NOT too young to start an effective skin care regimen. If left untreated, acne can worsen, causing embarrassment and even leaving permanent scaring on delicate young skin.
The first thing to understand is what acne is and why it develops in the first place. Then we can select proper treatments that can help.
As teen hormones change, the skin’s sebaceous glands begin to produce more oil (sebaceous oil) which often becomes clogged within our pores. In most cases (about 40%) of teen acne can be treated with a proper skin care regimen. The best start would be to have your child visit a skin care specialist so that they can determine their skin type (oil, dry, combination). Once their skin type is determined, they can help you select the right products for treatment.
There are several ways to attack and combat acne. First is with the use of salicylic acid. This is a common ingredient in most OTC acne treatments that helps naturally exfoliate the skin’s surface, lessening the chance for pores to become clogged. Another remedy is benzoyl peroxide. This ingredient helps kill bacteria that festers within pores as oil, dirt and bacteria settle in. Benzoyl Peroxide also "dries up" existing skin blemishes. A cleanser specific to your skin type is also recommended, along with a toner that helps kill bacteria and encourages shedding of the skin cells. Then, either a salicylic acid or benzoil peroxide based treatment can be used to prevent further breakouts. Regular teen facials are also recommended to remove any impurities that cannot be treated with OTC creams.
Because everyone’s skin is so different, there is no ‘one size fits all’ treatment for acne. If you live in the NJ area, I recommend that you come see me at Aquamedica Salon and Day Spa. If not, send me an email and we will see what we can do to get your child started on a proper teen skin care regimen.
You can visit our menu of teen spa services
More About Valentina Chistova
Valentina Chistova is a world-renowned aesthetician and beauty expert whose experience encompasses all facets of skin care and body treatments. Internationally trained, educated and certified, Valentina has devoted more than twenty years to her profession. Throughout her successful career she has provided services to many celebrities, including Mrs. Globe 2001, famous socialite and entrepreneur Ivana Trump, well-known KTU radio personality Michelle Vassage and Olympic figure skating champion Galit Chait Prior to opening AQUAMEDICA in Long Branch NJ, Valentina also consulted with leading dermatologists, providing skin care regimes for their patients.
Valentina is a member of the National Cosmetology Association and a CIDESCO candidate (Comite International Desthetique et de Cosmetologie Desthetique), which is the highest degree of beauty therapy certification available in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Valentina completed a rigorous training program with the Spanish organization Wontersaf, one of the world's leading centers for trichology, capillary diagnostics and scalp and hair treatment to combat hair loss and other hair dysfunctions. Valentina also holds a Registered Nursing Degree from Kharkov State University and Cosmetology degrees from the Kharkov Medical Institute in the Ukraine and the Capri Institute of Cosmetology in New Jersey.
