What are Zits?
Health Articles > Acne > Zits
Teens will often talk about zits but it is just a slang term for pimples and acne. Of course when you are a teen, zits often come with the territory. 90% of teens will get at least one or two zits, some will get many more.
When you are a teen, hormones can get a bit out of balance and of course they are responsible for all the other changes that go on in your body during puberty whether you are male or female. Hormones can cause the sebaceous glands in the pores of your skin to produce more sebum or oil than usual. When this happens, your pores can get blocked up. If a pore gets blocked, bacteria can get in and cause an infection. Bacteria can be on the surface of the skin, airborne or on your hands if you touch the zit. The more you touch the zit, the more you can spread any bacteria.
Zits come in different forms:
- A zit that is a red pimple
- A zit that is a pimple with a white head that is filled with yellow or white pus
- A zit that is a blackhead – a pimple with a black dot on top
While guys are usually more prone to zits than girls are (guys generally produce more sebum anyway) girls often find that they get zits just before their monthly period and of course they will often agonize over the appearance of zits more than guys do.
Although adults can also get acne, the good news is that teens will usually grow out of the zit phase in their lives by the time they reach their twenties.
If you are a teen with zits, try not to let it get you down. There is much you can do to prevent and treat them and you are certainly not alone with this skin condition.
- Drink lots of water and ditch the fruit juices or sodas as they have too much sugar and worse. Water is a natural way of detoxing your body by helping to flush out all the impurities that could cause blocked pores and zits.
- Sunlight is another zits prevention and treatment. The important thing to remember is not to have so much sun that you burn. 20 minutes or so of sun every day should be perfect. If there is no sun available, top up with a vitamin D supplement.
- Reducing your stress level is another way you can help prevent acne.
- Make sure you get your 8 hours of good quality sleep every night. This is very important.
- Cleaning your face twice a day will get rid of any bacteria on the skin's surface, using a natural non soap cleanser. Never scrub or rub the skin. Always remove all traces of make up before going to bed and if you do use cosmetics, look for water based products rather than those that contain oil or petroleum. Natural make up products are best.
- Keep long hair or bangs off the face and wash your hair frequently as it is difficult to keep the face oil-free or clean as dust particles can get mixed up with the natural oils of the hair.
- Take a multi-vitamin every day to give your skin extra nutrition.
- A healthy diet should include fresh fruits and vegetables because all the antioxidants they contain will give your immune system a boost, strengthening your protection against zits-causing bacteria. Leave out the sugars, artificial sweeteners, and processed and refined foods.
- Exercise regularly to stimulate the release of serotonin which helps alleviate stress and rid the body of waste and toxic materials.
Taking a bit of care with what you put on your skin, and what you eat and drink, will certainly help with the problem of zits.