How long does puberty acne last? Does it go away?

Puberty pimples are a common and common dermatological problem. Usually, acne will appear in many different places on young skin, concentrated mainly on the face, chest and back. Readers need to specify the cause and condition (number, level) of acne in order to find out effective and appropriate treatment.

Why do children get puberty acne?

When a child enters puberty, an increase in the amount of androgen sex hormones excessively stimulates the sebaceous gland to work strongly, thereby producing more excess oil and sebum. Over time, this causes the pores to become clogged and creates favorable conditions for the Propionibacterium Acnes bacteria to multiply. 

As the bacteria grow rapidly, pimples begin to appear, red, swollen, and inflamed. Because pores are blocked for too long, cysts are formed. If these sites are deeply inflamed, many large painful wounds under the skin will appear.

Plus, for girls, hormonal changes caused by menstrual cycle disturbances, oral contraceptive use or pregnancy can lead to acne breakouts, especially acne . Incorrect use of conditioner, lotion, or hair dye is also one of the factors causing this phenomenon.

According to dermatologists, pubertal acne usually stems from the following 12 common causes:

• Improper body hygiene: If children do not clean their face or bathe often, sweat, dirt and sebum will accumulate on the surface of the skin, eventually clog pores. This is a good opportunity for bacteria to attack, causing acne.
• Hormonal changes: During puberty, the body produces an excess of sex hormones, promoting the sebaceous glands to increase activity. When this large amount of sebum is not cleaned and removed, it will accumulate deep in the pores, while attracting dirt and harmful bacteria, thereby causing baby skin to break out. Therefore, young people in puberty are prone to acne in the places where many sebaceous glands are concentrated such as: nose, chin, forehead or cheeks.
• Side effects of Western medicines: Steroids, antibiotics, and some epilepsy medications can cause acne breakouts during puberty. The habit of abusing or using Western drugs indiscriminately, long, not following the instructions of a specialist easily leads to this dermatological problem. 
• Incorrect use of skin care products: This is also one of the factors that causes acne breakouts during puberty. At this stage, the baby’s skin is quite sensitive and fragile. The risk of getting acne will increase significantly if you accidentally use skin care products (shower gel, cleanser, lotion …) that contains strong detergents or ingredients that are not suitable for the skin.
• Excessive stress and stress: During this period, adolescents face many pressures stemming from high expectations from their families and schools. Psychological stress for a long time not only causes the skin to weaken, but also disturbs hormones. This is when young skin is attacked by bacteria that cause acne.
• Effects from the sun: Many children in puberty have not realized the importance of protecting their skin from the negative effects of the sun, especially boyfriends. This subjectivity is the cause of the baby acne. When exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, the fibers under the skin will weaken and break. This causes the skin to lose elasticity, aging faster, so the skin is more susceptible to attack.
• Genetics: Many studies have shown that puberty pimples are closely related to genetics. Babies whose parents or siblings have many acne during puberty are more likely to develop this problem.
• Environmental pollution: Dirt, industrial emissions, tobacco smoke from the environment around schools or houses are also factors that cause young skin cells to weaken and damage. At this time, pores are often clogged with sebum, dirt. That is why young skin has many skin problems such as acne, dermatitis, folliculitis …
• No / less exfoliation: As a rule, thousands of new cells are produced every minute, and at the same time thousands of old cells age. In it, many dead cells cannot peel off on their own but stick to the skin surface. They seal pores, combined with oil and dirt to make children break out.
• Unscientific diet: Poor diet, inadequate nutrients or abuse of sweets, fast food, carbonated soft drinks … make baby’s skin weak, easily inflamed and attacked.
• Staying up late regularly: When entering puberty, many young people often stay up late to study, surf the web or chat with friends. This habit not only affects your health, but also alters your hormones, leading to acne breakouts.
• Have another condition: Puberty acne can be a warning sign of problems with the kidneys, liver, gallbladder or lymphatic system. If the acne recurs many times or persists, parents need to bring the baby to visit for diagnosis and treatment.

Signs of acne in puberty

Puberty acne comes in many different forms. Here are some common traits that readers can easily track and recognize: 

• When first formed, pimples are pimples, scattered on the skin and shaped like a nodule.
• Acne nodules may contain black, white, yellowish white or no nuclei.
• Many types of acne do not cause the surrounding skin to change color. Meanwhile, some types of acne cause inflamed and red skin. 
• In severe infections, the pus will accumulate pus and become swollen. Acne is deeply ingrained in the skin, making the baby uncomfortable and painful.

Each different type of acne will have its own characteristics, specifically:

• The pimple has tiny stimulation, only with the tip of a pin, grows in clusters in places where there are many sebaceous glands such as nose and chin. Acne is usually slightly yellowish or milky white.
• Blackheads have small pimples, often emerging on the surface of the pores. This type of acne is made up of dead cells, bacteria, oil and dirt, does not cause skin inflammation and does not cause the surrounding skin to swell and red. In addition, the top of the acne nodule is usually on the outside of the pore and is black (because of exposure to air).
• Hidden acne is mainly concentrated on the forehead and under the chin. Acne is white, hidden deep in the skin.
• Acne is large, causing swelling, redness, and pain. Acne can reach the dermis and leave scars on the skin.
• Pustules form a white or yellowish discharge that causes swelling of the surrounding skin. The skin covering the acne kernel is quite fragile, so it is very fragile. After successful treatment, this type of acne will form concave scars and bruises.
• Cystic acne is the largest of any puberty. Cystic pimples are shaped like a pimple, contain a lot of pus, penetrate the skin and cause severe pain.

Although it does not negatively affect your health, if it is not well controlled, puberty acne can leave many difficult to treat bruises, greatly affecting the aesthetics, making children worried , poor confidence in communication.

How long does puberty acne last?

As the article mentioned above, puberty pimples occur due to the sudden changes in sex hormones as the body grows strongly and comprehensively during puberty. When this stage is over, your baby’s hormones will return to a stable and balanced state. So, acne is also reduced significantly. 

However, this still depends quite a lot on the location of each person. In most cases, the acne goes away on its own as an adult. However, some young people still suffer from “clingy” acne types despite thoroughly applying many treatments. 

Studies show that, more than 30% of children after puberty have many acne, severe inflammation, more damaged skin. Therefore, when your child has puberty acne, you need to actively find out the cause and choose one of the remedies below.

Instructions on how to effectively treat puberty acne

There are many different ways to treat acne during puberty such as: taking advantage of natural ingredients, using Western medicine, applying acne cream, changing diet, adjusting lifestyle … Readers need to base their level on current baby’s lesions and pimples to choose the most suitable treatment.

Make use of natural ingredients

For small, mild, painless acne, readers can take advantage of natural ingredients to improve this problem. Here are 2 simple folk tips that you can easily apply at home. 

• Honey has moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, cell nourishing, protective and restorative effects, and effectively inhibits the growth of yeast and bacteria. To quickly reduce puberty acne, children just need to apply pure honey directly to the skin or combine honey with oatmeal, yogurt, cucumber to enhance the effectiveness of treatment.
• Technology fresh characteristics anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, wound healing, prevent scar and cell regeneration. Fresh turmeric and honey mask is the ideal mixture to help your baby treat puberty acne. You mix 2 teaspoons of turmeric juice or turmeric powder with a sufficient amount of honey, then apply the mixture on the child’s skin for about 20-30 minutes, then rinse with warm water, apply 3 times / week.

In addition, parents can replace fresh turmeric and pure honey with aloe vera gel, tea tree oil, garlic, lemon, avocado, banana, fish lettuce and egg yolk to repel blemishes and nourish. skin. These folk tips are often slow to work. So, if you get a lot of acne with inflammation and redness, parents need to combine natural ingredients with Western medicine and take care of baby’s skin properly.

Careful facial skin care

Proper facial care routine can help effectively treat and prevent acne. According to dermatologists, when we take care of the face, we need to keep in mind the following issues:

• Wash your face regularly with lukewarm water and a mild antibacterial cleanser, with a pH balanced with frequency of 2-3 times / day.
• Gently massage when washing your face to wash away sebum, dirt, especially the areas where sebum secretion glands are active such as: nose, forehead, cheeks, chin.
• Exfoliate 2 times / week to remove all debris and keep skin clean and clear. 
• Remove makeup after applying makeup or sunscreen.
• Use a moisturizer twice a day to moisturize, regulate oil secretion, and regenerate the skin’s lipid membrane. When pimples occur, young people should choose moisturizers with mild ingredients, fast absorbency and thin texture to prevent clogged pores and limit the formation of new pimples. 
• Use toner after cleansing to hydrate, balance pH, limit dryness after cleansing, and maintain a bright, smooth skin.
• Apply sunscreen 20 – 30 minutes before going out, carefully cover with a hat, mask, jacket … to maximize skin protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays from the sun.
• Do not wear makeup during acne treatment.
• Do not use products that contain strong detergents, lots of chemicals, because acne skin is very sensitive and easily irritated.
• Absolutely do not arbitrarily touch acne or squeeze acne indiscriminately because this habit can cause more skin infections and leave many bruises. 

Get the acne properly

Once the pimples have been pushed onto the skin’s surface, the reader should remove them to help the baby’s skin cells quickly recover. If you do not treat the acne in time, the pores will expand and form a concave scar after acne heals. 

• Remove make-up and wash your face before taking pimples to minimize inflammation or irritation.
• Wash your face with warm water to soften the skin, help pores dilate, then acne will be pushed up easily. Besides, you can add essential oils of lemongrass, ginger, tea tree, lemon peel in warm water to help children relax spirit, inhibit bacteria and clean hair follicles.
• Disinfect hands and pimples with medical alcohol or antibacterial soap.
• Gently press the squeeze tool on the pimple to remove the pimple.
• Blot the pimples with normal saline.
• Wash hands and compresses with medical alcohol.

Note

• Readers should only get the acne when the acne is already visible on the baby’s skin surface. Squeezing at the wrong time will cause the pimple to become inflamed, swollen and darkened.
• When taking acne, parents need to perform gentle, careful, avoid bleeding and scratch the skin. 
• If the pimple is hidden too deep under the skin, take your child to a medical facility for timely assistance.

Use Western medicine

Topical medications for puberty acne are usually specific. When using these drugs, the skin of the face becomes more sensitive and fragile. Therefore, young people need to apply sunscreen regularly to limit darkening or irritation. If your baby has acne and skin inflammation, the specialist will prescribe some modern medicines in the form of topical or oral medications.

Topical acne medications include:

• Azelaic acid
• Salicylic acid
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Retinoid
• Topical containing benzoyl peroxide at a concentration of 2.5 – 10%
• Topical ingredients contain azelaic acid
• The topical medication contains antibiotic active ingredients

Oral acne medications include:

• Azithromycin
• Clarithromycin
• Doxycyclin
• Metronidazole
• Tetracycline

Note

• Oral acne medications can cause some systemic side effects that are bad for your health. Therefore, doctors often consider carefully before prescribing.
• To ensure the effectiveness of treatment, you need to take your baby to the doctor to be diagnosed and instructed to use safe and appropriate drugs, avoid self-medication without consulting a doctor.

Apply acne cream

If the 2 folk acne treatments mentioned above are not effective, young people should consider using acne cream. Currently, the acne creams on the market are very diverse and plentiful. Readers can choose the cream that best suits their child’s acne situation based on the following notes:

• Acne cream is extracted from natural herbs or has ingredients that match skin characteristics.
• Products have clear origin, come from reputable brands.
• Do not use creams containing corticosteroids or harmful chemicals.
• If a young skin develops acne due to excessive greasy secretion, non-oil based acne creams are the best choice.
• Liquid-textured acne creams are great for dry skin, both helping to treat acne and contributing to skin’s moisture balance.

In addition, high-tech treatment is the last resort of choice for pubertal acne. Currently, many cosmetic establishments and dermatology hospitals have applied new technologies ( Bio Light, Blue Light, Oxy Jet, Laser CT3 …) to speed up the treatment process, dry acne, stimulate production. Export collagen, while regenerating the skin, preventing scarring.

Eat scientifically and reasonably

Diet has a big impact on puberty acne. Therefore, young people should actively adjust the daily menu so that it is balanced and reasonable, based on the following principles:

• Drink plenty of water (1.5 – 2 liters of water / day), increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in the menu. Water, fiber, vitamins and minerals from this food group have the ability to hydrate, fight inflammation, nourish and regenerate cells, regulate secretory gland activity, and help prevent inflammation.
• Add foods rich in zinc in eggs, milk, dark chocolate, shellfish (clams, oysters, crabs, snails, mussels), legumes (green beans, red beans, lentils), seeds (pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds), whole grains (rice, wheat, oats, quinoa).
• Prioritize the consumption of foods containing many beneficial bacteria (probiotics) such as: kimchi, yogurt, miso soup … Studies have shown that the probiotic composition of this food group has the effect of reducing inflammation and reducing inflammation. secretion of sebum.
• Avoid eating foods high in sugar and dairy products. This food group will increase the concentration of insulin in the blood, thereby boosting the production of oil, making the hair follicles more inflamed.
• Limit the use of junk food, fast food and processed foods. These foods are rich in spices, oils, and preservatives. As a result, they can stimulate the skin to pour oily, making the bumps more inflamed and inflamed. 

In addition to its ability to improve acne breakouts as well as inhibit oil production, a healthy diet contributes to cell nourishment, flare-ups and prevention of scarring.

Adjusting your lifestyle

The following good habits will help young people quickly improve their puberty problem:

• Get enough sleep (8 hours / night) and on time (9 – 10 pm). 
• Avoid abusing or using Western drugs indiscriminately.
• Develop a study plan – get adequate rest, limit stress, and excessive fatigue.
• Ensuring a diverse and reasonable diet.
• Exercise 15-30 minutes / day.
• Always wear a mask when going out.
• Absolutely do not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs.

In fact, the harmonious combination of a healthy diet and scientific routine can significantly shorten the treatment of all types of puberty. In addition, these measures also help to reduce the level of damage, bruising and acne prevention extremely effectively.

Puberty pimples usually go away on their own as an adult. At that time, the body’s hormones become stable, balanced, this dermatological problem will disappear on its own. However, in some cases, acne continues to “cling” and cause a lot of trouble. It is important that young people take careful skin care, supplement with adequate nutrients and maintain healthy habits. In addition, when detecting unusual signs, please see your doctor for prompt advice and treatment.

Nguyễn Thị Huyền