Acne and pimples in teens. What helps?

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Acne and pimples — what helps?

Have you got pimples and unsightly skin eruptions on your face, neck, shoulders, or back? Yep! It's probably acne.

Acne is a common problem among teens, especially boys. But acne can affect people at any age. Up to 8 per cent of adults who had no acne when they were young may suffer from it as adults.

What causes acne?

If you are a guy, acne may start during adolescence as your body adjusts to becoming an adult. If you are a girl, your menstrual periods may trigger it. But acne may come from other causes too, such as:

• some drugs
• emotional problems
• steroids
• contraceptives
• tight clothing rubbing against your skin.

Chocolates are not too bad!

It is not always correct that chocolates, nuts, and fatty snacks cause acne, but some foods may make acne worse in some people. If you suspect that certain foods are making your acne worse, avoid them for a month or so and see if this helps.

If you have acne and you spend much time talking on the telephone, the phone may be causing some of your problems. Pressing the receiver against your skin can make acne break out above your ear or around your chin.

Is there a cure?

There is no instant cure for acne, but there are vitamins and minerals you can get from health-food stores that may help. But before you take them, talk over the problem with your doctor or a skin specialist. Do not take the following hints as medical advice, merely what some experts recommend in certain cases. Some vitamins and minerals can cause other problems if you take them for too long or in the wrong amounts.

Supplements recommended for acne sufferers

• vitamin A
• vitamin B6
• vitamin C
• zinc (sometimes you need copper with it — see below)
• flaxseed oil
• evening primrose oil
• starflower oil.

Most of these are safe to take any time. A combination of some of them taken daily should help most people who have acne. But four problems that may develop from too-high dosages are:

1. High doses of vitamin A are not good for young women of child-bearing age or who are pregnant.
2. High doses of vitamin B6 may cause nerve damage.
3. High doses of vitamin C may cause diarrhea.
4. High doses of zinc may prevent your body from absorbing copper. This can lead to anaemia (too few red blood cells).

What does the Bible say?

The Bible has something to say about skin problems. Many passages refer to ointments and oils. Sometimes medical healing purposes are in mind (Jeremiah 46:11; 51:8, and Isaiah 1:6, for example), and at other times their use is in cosmetics and other roles (Exodus 25:6, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Matthew 6:17, for example).

The worst skin problem in Bible times was leprosy. Leprosy is a disease much more serious than acne. Lepers could suffer from ulcers, skin discoloration, loss of fingers or toes, and other problems. Sometimes raw flesh (what doctors call “proud flesh”) appeared in the sores.

The Book of Leviticus in chapters 13 and 14 gives rules for testing and dealing with leprosy. If it was spreading it was called “unclean”, and the leper had to keep away from others. But often it disappeared after spreading for a while. It became “clean” when it could go no further, even if it had spread all over the body and simply had nowhere else to go.

Acne, of course, is not leprosy. But if you follow the leprosy principle, first try to stop your acne from spreading. Then you can work on trying to get it cleared up. If natural products like the vitamins and oils mentioned in this article help, then use them. But consult a doctor or health professional first.

Note: You can find heaps of information about acne on the Acne Helper website. Learn how to treat acne and how to prevent it.

Related topics:

• The dangers of body-piercing.
• Puberty: When should it happen and is it good or bad?
• Teen tattoos: Why Christian teens are avoiding them.
• Overweight teens: Easy ways to lose weight!
• Anorexia. A severe problem for some teens.

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