Teenage acne

A concerned mother brought in her 14-year-old son who was suffering with a severe case of acne.

- Karen Bridgman

Mentioning that nearly 80 per cent of teenagers suffer from acne was not much help for him. Like most teens, their appearance is of critical importance and he was becoming quite isolated, refusing to go out and socialise (his parents had difficulty getting him to school). His lack of self-esteem and confidence was noticeable. He was also suffering from both anxiety and depression largely due to his appearance. His problems needed correcting if he was going to be able to fulfil his potential.

He was suffering from digestive problems (wind bloating and constipation) and was very moody, becoming irritable or angry when told to change things he was doing — not unlike many of his peers. Teenage acne is very common, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with, nor does it relieve the emotional distress of the sufferer.

His mother wanted alternatives whereby he could avoid pharmaceuticals.

Acne has different manifestations, but is eminently treatable given the correct conditions. This young man had a combination of blackheads and pustules (small red pimples with pus in their centre) spread over a large area including his face, neck, back and chest. They were inflamed and painful at times.