4 Simple and Effective Skin Care Tips for Teens and Tweens

Teens and tweens tend to have fairly straightforward skincare concerns, largely owing to a short dermatological history and a limited number of potential complications. Nevertheless, there are certain skin care tips for teens that are easy to overlook and often can cause some aggravation later down the road. So what are the best tips for effective and easy teen skincare?

1. Always use sunscreen! If we had to give only one piece of advice to teens, it would be to always wear sunscreen, every day, regardless of the temperature, weather, or season. We love our P.R.E.P. SPF 30 face+body lotion because there are no harsh chemicals and it smells delicious! Although many of us covet a sun-kissed glow, but the risks of repeated sun exposure over the years far outweigh the small cosmetic victories of having a nice tan. In fact, sun over-exposure is a notorious cause of premature aging (discoloration, wrinkles, saggy skin, sallow skin, etc.) and one of the main causes of most forms of skin cancer. You are quite literally putting your life on the line when you over-expose your body to the sun, not to mention the thousands of dollars you’ll want to spend to reverse your wrinkles, sun spots and freckles. Don’t quite believe that you need to use sunscreen during the fall and winter? Consider this: the sun’s UV rays can still penetrate the skin, even if the rest of the sun is hidden by rain clouds or if the daily temperature is below freezing. The sun never takes a vacation; and you should never take a vacation from following an effective skincare plan. Try our P.R.E.P. SPF 30 face+body lotion! If you are skiing on the slopes this winter, keep in mind that snow is an excellent reflector of UV rays and can almost double your exposure to UV radiation. Water can also reflect UV radiation, so be sure to wear your sunscreen when boating, waterskiing or swimming.(World Health Organization Skin Cancer Foundation.
2. Make sure to cleanse your skin daily with a gentle cleanser like P.R.E.P. purifying daily cleanser (link here). We’ve all forgotten to wash our faces on occasion, whether from staying up to late to finish an assignment or running behind for early-morning commitments. But repeatedly refraining from cleansing your face is a big no-no if you wish to keep your skin clear and healthy for the long-term. If you don’t cleanse your face for a long period of time, your pores can become clogged and your face acne-ridden, irritated, dry, and likely inflamed and itchy. Regularly cleansing the skin can work to prevent all of these by helping to maintain your skin pores’ normal size, encouraging adequate skin hydration, and removing excess oil from the skin (Westlake Dermatology). You should change your pillowcases every few days, as they can collect sweat, drool, and other unsavory substances that we give off in the middle of the night. Go to bed without cleansing your face? Make sure to change your pillowcase the next day, as the buildup of sweat, bacteria, dirt, and makeup that has been accumulated on your pillowcase can now be ground into your pores the following night, and may cause clogged pores and irritation (Dr. Ko Clinic, Livestrong)
3. Maintain a healthy diet. It’s a popular rumor that soda, chocolate, greasy foods, and all other good-tasting but not-good-for-you foods can cause acne. While there is some scientific evidence indicating that chocolate and some dairy foods may cause acne breakouts in teens, these findings are highly-controversial and have been criticized for inconsistent study design (Prevention.com, Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology). In fact, some studies have even suggested that chocolate and dairy may not influence your body’s sebum production or the development of acne, or at least to a notable degree (Journal of the American Medical Association, American Academy of Dermatology). For the newest recommendations on diet and acne from the American Academy of Dermatology, see the {guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris}, JAAD Feb 17, 2016. For more tips on acne, see our P.R.E.P. everyday clear acne treatment! (link here)
4. Be gentle with your skin. If you suffer from persistently dry skin or acne, or a lifelong condition like eczema, it’s easy to take out your frustrations on your skin by aggressively scrubbing it with washcloths, loofahs, exfoliating buffs, or abrasive cleansers Don’t do this! While our skin is capable of handling a variety of environments and ever-changing skin conditions, rubbing it with harsh towels/buffs or smearing it with irritating ingredients in hopes of clearing your skin is a bit like drowning a desert in water and expecting it to bloom. Rather, you need to patiently and gently tend to your skin using carefully-selected cleansers and skincare products like the P.R.E.P. everyday kit (link here).. If you don’t see results within a reasonable amount of time, then you should speak with a dermatologist to see what other products or treatments may better suit your needs, or if a change in your lifestyle and dietary habits is required.

Bottom Line
When it comes to skin care tips for teens, our advice is relatively simple and straightforward: always wear a sunscreen, as this can prevent you from potentially developing skin cancer and signs of premature aging; always cleanse your face, as failure to do so can make your skin appear dull and acne-ridden; maintain a healthy diet, as some foods may cause the skin to age prematurely, develop acne, and appear less healthy; and finally, treat your skin with a bit of tender loving care – trust us, it will go a long way! Remember to check back for more advice on how teen girls can best care for their skinand how we at PREP Cosmetics can help you.

Stay healthy,
Carole