- Yeah, if you had to list a word
that was on the same level as moist,
pustule is probably it.
- [Lady] Pustule is way worse than moist.
- Hi everyone, welcome back to Skincare Nerds,
I'm Joanna, and today we're talking about teen skincare.
So if you are a teen yourself
or you have a teen in your life stay tuned.
So let's start by talking about what's happening
with the skin or the body on the inside.
So as we go through puberty
our body is creating hormones, oestrogen, and testosterone
which can cause skin changes on the face and the body.
Not to mention the increase in hair, particularly for males
which can cause its whole other range of skin issues.
It's the testosterone that's largely responsible
for that increase in oil production
which can lead to concerns like blackhead, congestion,
papules, pustules, you name it,
kind of those typical acne concerns.
Now, while we don't really have control
of our hormones at this time,
you've probably heard people say that during puberty
your hormones are raging,
that's absolutely true.
There's not a lot we can do about that
but there are some things we can do topically
to keep the skin under control, so to speak.
So for everyone I say that a basic skin care routine
from the start of puberty is a good idea.
Now everyone's gonna go through puberty
at a different stage of their life.
But if you do start that consistent routine,
firstly, you're getting in a really good habit,
and secondly, you're taking care of your skin.
Because of that varying age that puberty starts,
there's no specific age where skincare is necessary.
I always get people asking, you know,
"My daughter's 10, can she start using skincare?"
Or "They're 15, can they start using skincare?"
There's no age as such,
but you may be able to identify that these concerns
are starting to pop up on the skin,
and that's when you can start to treat them
with some really gentle basic products.
And by basics I mean a cleanser,
a moisturiser and an SPF.
And if you've got a teen at home
that isn't really cooperating with a skincare routine,
let me tell you why those three products
are the most important ones to start with.
First of all, cleansing helps to break down
dirt, debris, excess oil on the skin,
no water, doesn't do the trick,
that's not gonna break down everything
that might be leading to the congestion.
Secondly, our moisturiser helps
to keep the skin balanced and hydrated
so that it doesn't overproduce oil.
This is what can happen when our skin gets dehydrated.
So if all we're doing is using stripping ingredients
and not rehydrate the skin and supporting it,
you will over produce oil
and then that's gonna exacerbate your concerns
that you already have.
And then lastly, SPF is really important.
Not only because it protects your skin from UV damage,
but it can also prevent those post acne marks
or post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation from worsening.
Now I know you're probably wondering
what brands you should be looking at.
So some of my favourite skincare brands for teenagers
include La Roche-Posay, CeraVe, The Ordinary, and ASAP.
So if you're already using the basics
but you're in the thick of puberty
and they're just not cutting it anymore,
and you wanna start to introduce some other products,
an AHA/BHA hybrid product
and a niacinamide or vitamin B3 product
could be your saviours.
That's because they can help to settle inflammation
and reduce the severity and frequency of breakouts.
So if you haven't seen our other videos
on AHAs and BHAs and niacinamide,
essentially your AHAs and BHAs
are working to resurface the skin,
they're clearing away any congestion
that's sitting inside the pores.
Niacinamide is helping to balance oil production,
it's rehydrating the skin,
it's supporting your skin's barrier.
Those brands I mentioned earlier all have a variation
of products with these ingredients in them.
Two of my favourite products I recommend
are the ASAP super B complex and the radiant serum
mixed together on alternating nights.
So in one night you'd use the B and radiance mixed together,
next night, you would use the B by itself,
following night B and radiance together.
So that is a combo that I really like to recommend
for congested skin.
If you're looking for more of an affordable option,
The Ordinary have a salicylic acid serum
and also a niacinamide serum,
but they don't contain as many actives as the ASAP products.
CeraVe have their SA cleanser and cream for body breakouts.
I personally use both of those on my back knee.
And La Roche-Posay also have a range of serums,
but they also have a specific acne range called Effaclar.
I should also mention that these ingredients
will help to reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs
for those that are just starting to shave for the first time
and are experiencing a bit of irritation.
So when should you see a specialist or a doctor
if your skin concerns
are getting a little bit out of your control?
So if you find that you've been using topical products
and you aren't seeing results,
it might be a good idea to start
with seeing a dermal therapist,
so someone that can assist
with recommending the right skincare products for you
and also performing any suitable treatments on your skin.
However, as dermal therapists,
we do have a scope of practise
and sometimes these concerns
need to be addressed by a specialist.
So you might be recommended to go to your GP
and get a referral to go and see a dermatologist.
So if you or a teen in your life
is experiencing painful, persistent cystic breakouts,
it might be a good idea to go and see your GP
and get a referral to a derm.
They might end up prescribing you
oral or topical medications.
Now what to avoid.
I could go on forever about what to avoid
when you're a teenager with your skin.
Because particularly my generation,
we made some serious mistakes with our skincare.
There were a lot of new brands on the market
that promised to get rid of acne, Proactive,
but they didn't necessarily benefit the skin in any way.
So I would recommend avoid drying out your skin,
that's not gonna do it any good.
It is better to balance your skin
instead of just opting for all acne products,
make sure you're still supporting your skin barrier
and also rehydrating it.
Step away from the apricot scrub.
Again, that's kind of like a late 90s, early 2000s
triggering moment for me.
Do not use any kind of harsh scrubs on active acne,
it is better to use a chemical exfoliant.
Any dermal therapist will probably tell you that.
So just be mindful of those scrubs
that you see on the supermarket shelves.
I personally wouldn't be buying them for myself.
There are still very affordable options
that aren't at the supermarket.
Please stop picking,
you will pay for it later in scarring,
and then you'll wanna be having treatments
to treat the scarring.
So just avoid picking.
You will still sometimes get that PIHP
or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation marks
that you don't touch.
It's just because of the inflammation
that has incurred in that area,
but they are easier to fade
if you haven't been picking them or squeezing them.
And then lastly, consistency is key.
If you are using a spot treatment once a week
and expecting that to cure your whole face of breakouts,
not gonna happen,
you need to stick to a consistent routine,
that will be the best thing for your skin
and it will help to clear your concerns a lot quicker.
And also don't forget,
most people will experience acne
at some point in their life.
It is totally normal and there are avenues to treat it.
And let's be honest, you're probably your own worst critic.
Other people probably aren't even noticing your skin.
If you have any questions on teen skincare
or skincare in general,
leave them in the comments below.
Don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell button
and we'll see you next time.