Hints & Info

You all know it: at the age of about 12, with the beginning of puberty, many of you start to get greasy skin, comedones and all sorts of spots and lumps.

Acne is a widespread skin disease that affects especially adolescents aged 12 to 20, but occurs in adults as well. Acne is a disorder of the sebaceous glands caused by the hormonal ups and downs in puberty. Acne affects a very high number of adolescents. You inherit your skin type and other bodily characters from your parents; so how much you are affected by acne may be similar to the level by which your parents were affected in their youth.

For more information: Definition and Origination.

Acne can have unpleasant side effects: it may be painful, for example, and you may have trouble finding yourself attractive for others. And this may really undermine your self-confidence, giving you the feeling of wanting to withdraw from the world and not showing your face any more.
Acne occurs predominantly in the face, the upper body (chest and back) and sometimes also on the upper arms, regions very visible to everyone and difficult to hide.

For more information: Myths and Consequences.

But you can do something against these irksome spots: gentle cleaning and conditioning of the skin are very helpful, and it’s something you can do yourself. Besides you should ask for professional attention by a doctor, a dermatologist or a medically trained cosmetic assistant.
The more you know about the causes and types of acne, the better you can become active and improve your condition.

For more information: Treatment.

One of the most important things, however, is to keep your chin up and strengthen your self-esteem. Who you are as a person is much more important than just your appearance.