Skin Care Tips For Teens

dermatologist clinic in Salem, Oregon

At our dermatologist clinic in Salem, Oregon, our team at Valley View Dermatology helps patients of all ages get the clean, beautiful looking skin they desire. For teenagers, the fight against oily, clogged pores can seem like a never-ending battle.

Before teens or adults can properly take care of their skin and keep it healthy, you need to identify your individual skin types. The four primary types of skin are normal, dry, oily, and combination.

Normal Skin Care

Normal skin is considered to have an even, smooth skin tone; delicate texture; and no visible blemishes, flakey patches, or red spots. Pores are barely visible, and the skin surface is neither dry nor greasy. Normal skin has a few imperfections because of the balanced amount of water and oil and good blood circulation.

If you enjoy normal skin, make sure to wash your face between two to three times a day, with a mild cleanser or plain soap and water to remove and built up sweat or dirt.

Dry Skin Care

Itchy, scaly, rough, and dull skin texture is a common sign of dry skin. For most people, dry skin is usually the cause of an abnormal shedding of cells from the skin’s outer layer. In most cases, lubrication from the body’s natural oils helps to prevent water loss from your skin.

If you suffer from dry skin, wash your face daily with a mild cleanser. This will help to reduce how much drier your skin will become. Moisturize with a non-scented, non-alcohol based lotion after washing.

You should also try to limit the number of very hot showers you take, your exposure to high temperatures, and low humidity, which robs your skin of moisture. Even using soap and excessive scrubbing or washing can increase dryness. Many teens have drier skin during the winter months, when heaters expel hot air and humidity is low.

If you have excessively dry skin, try taking a warm bath for about 20 minutes. Avoid the use of soap or other products that cause skins to dry out. When you get out of the bath, pat yourself dry, then rub mineral oils or a non-scented, non-alcohol based lotion over your skin. Pat yourself dry again. The lotion will help lock in soothing moisture, keeping your skin soft and supple.

Oily Skin Care

For teens you suffer from oily skin, acne becomes a chronic problem. Open pores, shiny complexion, pimples, and blackheads are all common conditions caused by oily skin. Because hormones affect oil production, anything that affects your hormone levels may influence your skin. Some within the health community also believe that stress, such as from not getting enough sleep or exam, may trigger outbreaks of acne. Unfortunately, many teens suffering from acne experience stress caused by the acne itself.

To keep oily skin clean, make sure to wash your face at least three times daily with plain soap and water. If you want to clean your face at school, try using an over-the-counter cleaning pad that works to dissolve oil and remove excess dirt from the surface of your skin.

If you develop pimples, resist the urge to squeeze or pop them as that can cause inflammation, increased acne, and even scarring.

Make sure to look for facial or cosmetic products listed as “noncomedogenic,” which means they do not clog pores. Also try to keep your hair off of your face, and to wash your hair daily to reduce oil build up.

Combination Skin Care

With combination skin, you might have an oily “T-Zone” (chin, nose, and forehead) and dry skin everywhere else. The pores on your face appear very large, and your skin tends to have blackheads.

Combination skin can either be overly oily or excessively dry, while your cheeks may appear rough. Depending on the season, the dryness and oiliness may change as well. Your skin will typically be drier during the colder times of year.

If you have combination skin, wash your face two or three times a day with soap and water to remove any excess oil. Moisturize any areas that are dry, but not oily areas of your face.

If you have any questions about what type of skin your teen has, make an appointment at our dermatologist clinic in Salem, Oregon.