The teenage years are the times when acne is most common and most hated! It could not have come at a worse time! Why do I have acne as a teenager? There are several reasons why teenagers are more prone to acne and why they have it more severely:

• Hormone imbalances - During puberty the body's hormones are all over the place.
  Certain male hormones trigger the production of oil glands and this in turn produces oily skin leading to blocked pores.
  Stress - this plays a big part in teenage years and unfortunately stress has been linked to acne.
  While it has not been proven to cause acne, it increases the severity of it so take a long relaxing bath every so often!
• For the older teenagers - birth control pills.
  Oral contraceptives affect the hormone balance in the body which can lead to acne.
  
• Using greasy or oily based facial products - These products add to the level of oil that is already on your skin and causes more blockages of pores on your face.
  
• Bad diet and unhealthy lifestyle - While this is not a sole cause of acne, having a poor diet that is high in fat and sugar can increase the oiliness of your skin.
  Smoking also leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of your body's immune system leaving it unable to fight off bacteria.
  

Ok so I have acne - now what?! Depending on how bad your acne is and how frequently it flares up, there are a number of different treatments that you can use to help control these flare ups.

• Washing your face twice a day with oil-free products or just water will help to wash away some of the oil that can cause blockages.
  
• For girls - try not to use oily make up even though it is tempting to cover up all the spots with it.
  This will not help the problem and, in fact, will make it worse.
  
• There are some home and natural remedies that you can find on the web or ask your parents to see if they have any family trade secrets! Remember that not all remedies work for everyone.
  Everyone has different skin tones and complexes so what works for your friend may not work for you.
  
• DO NOT pick at spots, zits and pimples.
  This causes acne to get worse!
• Try some shop bought products though you do not need to go for the most expensive variety first.
  
• If you have a very severe case of acne or nothing seems to be working, go to your doctor for advice.
  They can usually provide prescriptions that will help to reduce acne.
  Remember to give each treatment time to work.
  You will not see an improvement over night but give it time.
  It will become obvious if one is not working and you can then go and try something else.