PUBERTY

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about it and look myself in the mirror for hours…”

Puberty is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood during which the body goes through many changes. All these sudden changes you notice on your body make you feel uncomfortable and you often have difficulty in feeling good about yourself. Things become even more difficult when acne appears.

What causes “pimples” (acne)?

• Hormones

If your skin has pimples, it is more sensitive to testosterone hormone that causes excessive sebum production.

• Sebum production

There are sebaceous glands all over your body, particularly on the face. They produce sebum that makes your skin smooth and water –resistant. Testosterone hormone causes sebum production. Testosterone levels in teenagers are among the highest.

• Dead skin cells

Dead skin cells “stick” with each other, get mixed with sebum and clog up the pores.

• Inflammation

Bacteria (S.Pyogenes) grow around clogged pores causing skin inflammation and irritation.

Who gets acne?

You’re definitely not the only one! Almost everyone between the ages of 12-17 has different types of pimples that vary from one person to another. It usually affects teenagers and young ones, however it can also appear later, at the age of 30 or 40. Both boys and girls suffer from acne. It can be more intense and tends to last longer in boys, while in girls it can get worse during the menstrual cycle.

How long does acne last?

Truth is we cannot predict how long the acne will last. It can be weeks, months even years. Should you are concerned about this problem, I suggest you visit a specialist. In this case prevention and proper treatment is the key to minimize   scars caused by acne.

Katerina Tsilika

Dermatologist, Scientific Associate of the Greek Society of Adolescent Medicine

Artemis Tsitsika

Ass. Professor of Pediatrics - Adolescent Medicine

Scientific Coordinator of the Program "PROLEPSIS» ran by the Greek Society of Adolescent Medicine