Calling All Parents of Acne Sufferers

Calling All Parents of Acne Sufferers
By Mari Bozozo

As loving parents, I’m certain that you do anything and everything to ensure your children’s
well-being. You sacrificially guarantee their safety, security, and protection. You toil feverishly to
keep them clothed, fed, and sheltered. Simply put, you have and will continue to go above and
beyond for them, even at the expense of your happiness. A parent’s love knows no bounds and
is indisputably the greatest love of all.
I can attest to this with my own experience growing up. My parents were diligent in giving my
siblings and me their very best. Two of the three of us, my oldest brother, suffered from severe
acne. To my parents’ oblivion, my brother’s acne led to a total loss of confidence, which in turn,
compelled him to give up on himself. He dropped out of high school, became a recluse, and a
prisoner to his condition. My parents thought that my brother’s issue was mainly an aesthetic
one. They set out to get his acne under control by taking him to a reputable dermatologist. After
using countless medications, my brother’s acne only marginally improved. It was only until he
made an attempt on his life that my parents once and for all discovered that my brother having
acne was the root cause of it. In hindsight, the damage had already been done and the window
of opportunity for my brother to get the help that he needed was closing rapidly, as the onset of
depression had made its mark.
I wish to say to the parents of both adolescent and teenage acne sufferers to not wait until a
point of no return to intervene. Do not dismiss your child’s acne as just a hormonal phase that
he/she is going through, or something that will clear up on its own. This especially applies if the
acne is more aggressive or severe. I would go so far to say that if you grappled with acne as an
adolescent or teenager, and continue to do so, and you happen to have a young child who does
not suffer from acne, you should still be proactive in safeguarding his/her skin before the onset
of puberty. As you may very well know, acne tends to be hereditary. If one or both parents
struggled with acne at some point in their lives, chances are the child will, also. Sadly, the
physicality of acne is only half of the challenge. Depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem would
be the other half. There is a direct correlation between poor mental and emotional health and
having acne, for children and adults alike. Please do not underestimate this where your child is
concerned. Do not let what happened to my brother happen to your sons and daughters. Take
the proper course of action NOW so that you may be able to thwart the life-shattering
consequences later. This bears repeating- acne is hereditary. The likelihood of acne developing
in your child is greater if you’ve ever had or have persistent acne. Again, getting a handle on it
NOW will help to ward off future or further damage- physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Ensuring that he/she is cleansing properly with the appropriate cleansers is a great first step. I
am not a proponent of cleansers that are marketed toward acneic skin, as they tend to strip the
skin of its natural oils, thus creating dryness. Dry skin and acne tend to go hand in hand, believe
it or not. The manufacturers of these cleansers know this. They also know that the more that
skin is cleansed with these products, the drier the skin tends to become. As a result, acne
ensues or increases. Unbeknownst to the consumer, of course. The consumer will continue to
purchase the products that aggravated his/her acne in the first place. Do your child a favor and
avoid these products. A great alternative would be to use cleaners geared toward sensitive skin,
or gentle cleansers. Toners, usually laden with alcohol, tend to be drying, as well. Witch hazel is
especially effective in balancing the ph levels of the skin and conditioning the pores. Finally, a
moisturizer with a higher spf is ideal. For spot treatments, this may sound unconventional, but a
triple antibiotic ointment works excellent, in that it kills the bacteria in the blemish, thus drying it
up.
Next, I suggest that you encourage your child to eat healthier foods. I know that this can be a
daunting task, as children gravitate towards foods chock full of sugar, dairy, and fatty oils. Yet
and still, there are ways to incorporate healthier foods into their diets. In the same way of proper
etiquette and good behavior, healthier eating habits begin at home. Just a few ideas: Whole
grain, high fiber, and protein can be found in a plethora of cereals and oatmeal for breakfast.
Lean meats, legumes, and leafy green vegetables would be ideal choices for lunch and dinner.
Hummus and crackers, trail mix, and fruit are sensible snack options. Only keep water in the
house to drink. Sodas and juices are full of sugar and are a breeding ground for acne. The
saying, “out of sight, out of mind” never rang truer. If water is the only beverage available to
drink in the house, that will be the beverage that he/she will become accustomed to drinking
regularly. The more the better. Drinking at least 64 ounces or eight glasses a day will assist in
the purging of toxins internally, thus giving the skin a boost in its health and appearance.
Another strategic way to control acne is by taking the proper vitamin and mineral supplements.
Raw Vitamin B Complex, Flax/Krill Oil, Zinc, Calcium, Magnesium, and Probiotics can be
especially effective when taken as part of a regime. Just be sure to speak to your child’s
pediatrician or family physician before getting started to ensure that he/she will be a healthy
candidate for it. A holistic practitioner would also be able to point you in the right direction.
Lastly, but certainly not least, I strongly encourage you to introduce your child to the idea of
getting facials by a licensed esthetician. Many estheticians offer facial services specifically
designed for adolescent and teenage skin. Going at least once a month or bi-monthly would be
the ideal. Regular cleansing allows the skin to breathe, thus discouraging sebum to build up and
produce breakouts.
If by chance that you have done none of the aforementioned during your child’s earlier years,
and his/her teenage acne is in full swing, don’t be discouraged. It’s not too late to implement all
of the above into his/her lifestyle NOW. Depending on how having acne has affected him/her
mentally and emotionally, I’d also urge you to find a licensed mental health professional. This
person will be a haven for your teen to confide in as he/she wades through the mental,
emotional, and psychological hardships that acne may have caused. Take it from someone who
has experienced depression, stress, anxiety, and a decline in her self-esteem on account of
having acne- you do not want to downgrade, minimize, or blatantly ignore what your
son/daughter is going through. Your sympathy will not be enough, as it will mean nothing if you
remain deaf, dumb, and blind in the process. Do you want to see your child as an adult, being
rendered practically helpless in coping with life on account of the mental, emotional, and
physical atrocities endured during his/her formative years? Or worse- having the blame placed
at your feet for either passing down the acne gene in the first place and/or by doing nothing to
avail every resource possible in helping him/her through it? Do you want this on your
conscience? Of course, you don’t. They say knowledge is power. So empower yourselves in
every measure to help your child win the fight against acne. NOW. The investment on your
return will be immeasurable.
Speaking on behalf of all the children/teenagers who are suffering from acne and who are
silently asking for the support of their willing parents during these critical years, I’d like to say in
advance on their behalf, “THANKS MOM & DAD.”
Mari