If Your Teen Has Acne, Pay Attention.

Most of us suffered from the occasional pimple during adolescence, and parents, for the most part, have been pretty ho-hum about the seriousness of teenage acne. But that no-big-deal attitude is one that needs to change because acne and depression are linked in teens and both need to be monitored closely.

An adolescent’s appearance is hugely important to him or her and a bad complexion can lower self-esteem faster than you can say OMG. Teens cannot hide their faces after all, and they cannot live their lives without being seen constantly by their peers. One of the biggest concerns of this age group is being negatively judged by their peers. And just as important to them is that they not stand out in any way what-so-ever.

Having bad skin is one of the quickest ways to make both of those nightmares come true — not just for a day but possibly for years.

The link between acne and depression has long been known but until recently many researchers (and doctors) felt that the link was attributed to chemicals in the medicine used to treat acne. But a recent study published in the British Medical Journal is calling that assumption into question. The Swedish researchers who conducted the study found that the appearance of acne itself, and not the medication, increased the risk of depression and suicide attempts in teens.

So mamas I’m giving you a heads up here and hope you will take it to heart. If you are a parent, you will one day have a teenager — obviously. Take this information seriously and don’t forget it! Make sure to take notice when those nasty little pimples seem to be multiplying all over the beautiful face of your adolescent and take him or her to a dermatologist for treatment right away.

Don’t ignore it. The right doc can help to get your child’s skin cleared up and in so doing short circuit the depression that quite often goes along with a bad case of zits. Think of it as a medical condition that needs evaluation and treatment just as much as asthma or chronic headaches.

And make sure that you take the time to highlight their physical attributes that are attractive. They need to hear that they have dimples you could sleep in, hair that is incredibly shiny, or that they have the most amazing eyes or a smile that lights up the town. Let them see themselves through your eyes. It will help to bolster their self-esteem in ways that you can only imagine.

But don’t stop there. Let them know how much you admire their inner qualities as well. Take the time to point out how much you love their wacky sense of humor or their ability to write or play the guitar or their willingness to always help a friend in need. Although they may act like they don’t care, believe me they do.

Luckily, by the time they hit college the connection between acne and depression seems to fade. By then the factors that lead to an increase (or decrease) in self esteem broaden and those crappy pimples become less of trigger for the kind of depression that can be very serious.

In the meantime though, the ball is in your court to try and help them avoid the slide into depression by paying attention and taking the lead in seeking treatment when needed. Never underestimate the power of a mom!