Don't let acne ruin your summer fun

The month of March means summer is here, and with the season comes a string of activities for teenagers. It means prom night, graduation, and soirees, leading eventually to the grand summer vacation. 

 

It is also the month that welcomes warmer temperatures, which bring sweat, sunburn and other skin issues.

 

Celebrity “it” girl Georgina Wilson is not spared from these skin concerns. She admitted that acne is her number one summer party pooper, and acknowledged that this is not a solitary struggle. 

 

“Everyone has gone through it and there are things we can do to prevent it,” Wilson told reporters Friday at the launching of the skin care line Garnier’s Pure Active, which she endorses, at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City.

 

“Growing up, I would always get a huge pimple on my face, and usually, it occurs on days before an important event. I would try urban myths like putting toothpaste on my acne in the hopes of a quick fix. But more often than not, these self-medications worsen my pimples,” says Wilson, who lamented that skin care is not something taught in school.

Major Masa, a twenty-something male professional, shares the same concern as Wilson. “As a guy, getting a pimple feels like a letdown. I am also not sure if products available are unisex so most of the time, I do experiment too,” he said. The problem with pimples

 

According to dermatologist Dr. Sherwin Llego of Makati Medical Center, "Georgina and majority of Filipinos and teenagers around the globe are part of the three quarters of 11-30 years old who experience the common acne in their lifetime.

 

“When skin cells, sebum and hair clump together into a plug, this plug gets infected with bacteria, resulting in swelling. A pimple starts to develop when the plug begins to break down,” Dr. Llego said.

 

He added that acne can be caused by a number of factors: genes, hormones, and even the use of cosmetics.

 

But the weather can also be the culprit. “Now being summer, the heat causes sweat. Excessive sweating is a factor to making oil glands under the skin grow, and coupled with bacteria, this can trigger pimples,” Dr. Llego said. Doctor's advice

 

To combat summer acne, Dr. Llego advised against trying out various skin products indiscriminately. “Experimenting is a no-no as this can make the acne worse. Rather, stick to products with active ingredients that are known to kill the bacteria that cause pimples,” he said. 

 

He recommended products that have benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, retin-A and salicylic acid which are proven effective in killing bacteria, reducing inflammation, and unplugging pores.

 

Wilson says adolescents, both girls and boys alike, need to understand the importance of skin care so that “Filipinos will no longer walk in the dark when struck with acne.” –KG/YA, GMA News