When to Address Skin Care Issues With Growing Kids

by Natalie Bracco on February 13th, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Going to the beach the weekend before or after Presidents' Day is a fun family activity. And while you might be thinking sunburns and sandy chafed skin are major problems your children are going to face this month, consider other skin care issues like acne as well.

We all know that pre-teens and teenagers frequently have a hard time with their skin. As a parent, it is difficult to address skin care issues. You don’t want to seem insensitive, but you need to make sure your children understand proper skin care, and how to deal with any acne they have. To better help how best to talk to your child about skin care issues, here are 5 important tips.

Start Young

If you wait until your child’s first breakout to discuss proper skin care, there are going to be many problems. First, the child may feel insecure about the breakout. Broaching the subject with them at this point may only increase those insecurities, and they may feel that you are judging their looks. This can be very difficult on a parent and child.

However, if you start skin care education when your child is young, it is not something you will have to discuss with them at an embarrassing point. As you are teaching your child simple things like brushing their hair and teeth, or how to take a bath, introduce to them the concept of cleaning their face and skin.

Healthy Diet

It is important that your child has a healthy diet. This is not to say they can’t go out for fast food once in a while. However, if they are constantly eating fast food and other junk food, they are likely to have more acne. Keeping a good, balanced diet that is full of vitamins and minerals, can help the child keep clear skin.

Products for Skin Type

Some children may start out at a young age. Others may never have acne. However, it is a good idea to start a skin care regimen with good cleansers. If they have dry skin, for example, products for those with oily skin will not work as well. When your child uses products created for their skin type, they are likely to help keep acne at bay.

Explain Facts vs. Myths

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about acne. When your child understands what is actually true and what is a myth, they are more likely to deal with the actual issue, rather than just write it off. For example, many believe that the more you wash your face, the better your skin will be. However, since washing your face repeatedly can actually cause the skin to dry out, this is not true.

Be Gentle

No kid likes dealing with skin issues. And when a parent points these problems out, it can be rough on the child. If you do find that you need to talk to your child about acne or other skin problems, be gentle. Don’t accuse the child of not sticking to their routine; ask them how they feel it is going. Open a discussion with them, don’t talk at the child.

Skin care is a lifelong journey. Some children have skin that is easy to take care of, while others have more a more difficult road ahead of them. Either way, as a parent, it will be up to you to help guide your child through keeping their skin looking its best.

Have you ever talked with your child about skin care?

Natalie Bracco is a freelance writer and an amateur baker. When she’s not busy in the kitchen, you can find her writing about technology, travel, food and family. Follow her on Twitter @nataliebracco.

Images courtesy of: globalgoodgroup.com, livehealthylivegreen.com, and todaysparent.com.