The invincibility of youth is only part of what gives teenagers their high-intensity glow; whatever else is involved, it all adds up to a nearly-adult human being who has begun forming his or her own beliefs. Once minds are made up, they become difficult to change. As a parent, it may not be the easiest job in the world to convince your teenage son or daughter that they will not look beautiful forever, and they need to be mindful of their skin care even at a young age.

From Dimples to Pimples

Since teenagers are more prone to the presence of acne as a skin condition than everyone else, it would seem intuitive that they would have skin care foremost on their minds, but some still do not. Going to the beach and getting the darkest tan possible have been rites of passage for past generations – people who are now dealing with skin cancer, blotchiness, wrinkles and other problems that come with too much UV exposure.

Keeping It Cleaner Than Your Room

If acne is indeed the issue, there are remedies galore either on the shelves or over the counter at your local drug store. Telling teenagers to clean their skin gently but thoroughly, not to pick at their unsightly pimples, and to use – but not abuse – the right cosmetics may well net you only a rolling of the eyes. But if you keep pouring on the good advice, you can at least hope that it might sink in, like (you’d also hope) sun block.
If they can keep their pores clean, they’ll be fine, socially speaking. If you can’t keep your hands off the wheel, then encourage them to use – Read: buy them – oil-free moisturizers. Teenagers might not appreciate all, or even many, of the things you do for them but if you can get them into the habit of taking good care of their skin, they’ll not only be grateful for a lifetime, they’ll also look great in the family pictures… And when they come over to do laundry.

If you keep up with your skin now you’ll look 20 years younger when your older.