Photo By Monkey Business Images at Shutterstock
If you are, or know a teenager living in the Southlake area, you may find this guide helpful for advice on what to do when you encounter these skin problems most teens will run into growing up. Health is wealth in this case, and caring for your skin is the first step to caring for the rest of your body.
Acne
During a teenager’s pubescent years, a teenagers pores can be clogged with sebum, a chemical that’s intended to keep your skin moisturized and protected from germs and other debris. When this happens, a common skin bacteria, called Propionibacterium acnes can cause redness, inflammation, and swelling in the pores of your skin, sometimes causing cysts and nodules to form. Dermatology centers advise not to pop your cysts yourself, as this can damage the skin and cause the cyst to reform over time. Symptoms include black and white “heads” appearing at the tip of a pore, as well as redness, and the tendency for that area to form bumps. Common treatment options include antibacterial ointments, hormone therapy, and professional acne removal for cases where the cysts get especially large and painful.
Eczema
An umbrella term for rashes, and itching that spread from the skin, it commonly occurs on the face, inside elbows, on hands, and feet. Avoiding the urge to scratch that area is imperative as dryness can spread out from the inflammation that scratching causes. Symptoms of eczema include severely dry skin, redness and irritation of the skin, sensitive skin, inflammation and swelling. Because eczema is worsened by irritation, consulting with a dermatology specialist can help identify specific treatment options such as setting up a moisturizing/bathing routine, or taking antihistamines to reduce irritation and swelling.
Dandruff
What some Southlake area residents may not know, is dandruff, similar to eczema, doesn’t have a single cause. For many teens who may worry that their dandruff is because of some hygiene problem, this isn’t based in fact, and they shouldn’t be ashamed of that, Common symptoms include white flakes in the hair or on clothing, itching or burning in the scalp, and oily skin that also has dry patches and flakes. Dermatology centers recommend a combination of skin and hair care treatments such as a more frequent hair washing routine and treating skin inflammation with a hydrocortisone cream.
Athlete’s Foot
For Southlake area residents who participate in physically demanding activities, and wear the same socks for long periods of time, they can contract a fungal infection that clings to the skin of the feet toes and ankles. Symptoms include red, inflamed rash usually starting between the toes, and itching that is especially pronounced immediately after removing shoes. Severe cases may result in blisters or ulcers on your feet. Because athlete’s foot can be chronic, dermatology centers advocate for prevention before treatment. Avoid exposing feet to fungus in places where people may contract athletes foot such as gym locker rooms, bathrooms, and swimming pools. Depending on the severity of the infection, doctors recommend treatment ranging from vigorously scrubbing the feet with warm soapy water, to prescribing antifungal medication.
Cold Sore
Cold sores are the result of an open cut in or on the mouth that are exposed to a type of herpes virus. The virus is typically contracted during childhood, but remains dormant until hormonal changes occur, causing the virus to become more active. Common symptoms include blisters, pain, swelling, and in more serious cases, high fever, muscle aches, nausea, and swollen glands in the neck and face. While the sore itself should clear itself up in a few weeks, dermatology specialists have several recommendations for treating the pain and other symptoms, such as using a cold compress, taking oral pain medication, and using topical agents to numb the sore itself.
Warts
For Southlake area teens going through puberty, their physical appearance can mean a lot to them. That’s why it may seem especially serious when they develop warts around their face, hands and arms. Caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, warts are relatively common blemishes that stay isolated in that part of the skin. Common treatments for wart removal include laser removal, freezing the wart, and cutting the wart off. Skin that is injured is more susceptible to getting warts, so dermatology centers agree that maintaining good hygiene, and not scratching at sores or cuts on your body can do a lot to prevent warts.
Ringworm
Similar to athlete’s foot, ringworm is a fungal infection that occurs on the skin other than areas where athlete’s foot occur, such as the arms, biceps, face, and other open parts of the body. The fungus that causes ringworm is infectious, but unlike athletes’ foot, usually occurs from direct contact that’s skin to skin as opposed to indirect contact from simply touching the same places an infected person has been. Ringworm (named for its ring/circular appearance on the skin) is can be treated by a dermatology specialist, typically prescribing antifungal treatments, and washing the infected area so it doesn’t spread, or infect other people.
Sunburns
Without proper supervision, young adults can quickly undergo the effects of both short term and long-term sun exposure. While short term side effects include skin irritation and scarring, long term side effects include the development of skin cancer and severe swelling. Dermatology treatments for sunburns include cooling the affected area with cold water and keeping the burned area moisturized with intense moisturizers such as Aloe Vera.
In Conclusion
Southlake area residents may be worried by the sudden outbreak of skin conditions like acne and warts, but aside from their physical appearance, most dermatology treatments are comprehensive enough that teenagers can still be happy and healthy.
