Video
Hollyoaks Actress: When i get a spot, it’s not a spot it’s a person. It’s huge.
Hollyoaks Actor: Big killer zit
Girl 1: Something to pick but i don’t squeeze it’s disgisting.
Girl 2: I think the curse of being a teenager is spots
Hollyoaks Actress: And it’ll be somewhere really inappropriate, like there.
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Dr Dawn: There’s a lot of rubbish spouted about acne. So let’s take a look at the facts.
TEEN: I’ve been told that an unhealthy diet gives you spots.
Dr Dawn: A balanced diet will promote healthy skin but there is no scientific proof that ANY foods cause acne.
TEEN: If you’re unclean and don’t wash then you can get acne.
Dr Dawn: I recommend good hygiene, but dirty skin doesn’t cause Acne and in fact overzealous washing can make it worse.
TEEN: Sunbathing is a good way of getting rid of acne.
Dr Dawn: Ultraviolet rays may help clear some spots but sweating in the sun is likely to make your acne worse and too much sun exposure will damage your skin.
Acne occurs because of changes in hormone levels which is why teenagers are hardest hit and girls often find that their spots are worst just before a period.
The changes in hormones during puberty causes an oily substance in the skin called sebum to over-produce.With dead skin cells, sebum blocks hair follicles causing spots to form.The most common time for this to start is between 11 and 14 ñ though one in five adults suffer with acne too.And unfortunately it does tend to run in families. So if your Mum had it or brother’s got it ñ you’re 3 to 4 times more likely to suffer with acne yourself.
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Boy 1: I generally get them across the forehead or like down the nose and around the chin sort of area.
Girl 1: I get spots on my face and sometimes on my shoulders.
Girl 2: Celebrities don’t get spots and things. If you see them in magazines and they’ve got perfect skin so teenagers think they want to be like celebrities.
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Dr Dawn: I know it’s of little consolation – but you really aren’t alone with your problem. Some of the world’s most famous and stylish have suffered with acne. Acne usually clears up on its own over time; but how long varies.So don’t put off asking for treatment – there is lots of help available. For non-inflammatory acne, like black heads and white heads, try over the counter creams or gels. My favourites contain something called benzoyl peroxide.
For inflammatory acne, which is more red, bumpy and sore, prescription medication from your GP may be an option and the most commonly used are antibiotic creams or tablets. Women with acne may be prescribed a particular contraceptive pill which will regulate hormones and combat spots.
And in very severe cases when other treatments haven’t worked, your GP may refer you to a specialist who will decide whether you should have a more powerful drug called Roaccutane
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Boy 1: It can be quite embarrassing you feel very self concious of it and most people just see it and they don’t really care, and when you see it on other people you don’t care, but on yourself you can become very self concious about it.
Hollyoaks Actress 2: I was actually on TV in front of millions of people with full blown acne and that was very very very hard for me to do, but i did it and no one seemed to notice.
Girl 2: If i don’t wear make up i don’t feel very confident with myself. As long as i wear make up i’m fine.
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Dr Dawn: Pick make-up that’s oil free or water based and look for ‘non comedogenic’ or ‘non acnegenic’ on the labels. When you moisturise, use a light or oil free moisturiser. Gently remove all make-up before you go to bed and don’t pick or squeeze your spots; it not only makes them worse, it can leave you with permanent scars. And if after 2 months, you’re finding treatments aren’t working go back to your GP.
Am I Normal: Acne
Dr Dawn Harper looks at the ‘curse’ of being a teenager – acne. Dr Dawn’s guide examines the causes as well as the treatments available, whilst putting to rest some of the common myths surrounding spots and getting the opinions of teenagers around the country, as well as the cast of Hollyoaks.
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With thanks to:
Hollyoaks
University of Birmingham Hockey Club
Llanelli Youth Theatre
Tetbury Hospital
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For years I was struggling with acne all over my face, it was terrible! I always felt so bad taking my makeup off at sleepovers around my friends! I went to my go and got cream, then a stronger one, then antibiotics, but nothing worked... Untill my gp put me on the pill (an acne friendly one) and now I am so happy! At first I had really bad side effects and it took a while to work but now I have no spots and I couldn't be happier! I reccomend that you try this!
hi im 14 i have a lot of moles on the side of my face, but only on one side. They make me feel depressed at school and i try to hide them. what do i do??? They dont itch or anything and more are developing. i think i have about 20 in total
I have spots on the back of my knee and on my inner thigh, is this normal and how do I get rid of them....?
im 19. i dont realay struggle with spots or normal acne as much. but i do regularly get these huge bumps on my face. most commonly under the ears and on the cheek bones. it realy gets annoying. as i have marks on my face because of them. i have been told that they are just fat glands that swell up, and that there is no way to stop them. ive tried almost every prescription medication. please can some one tell me how to get rid of them. ive even gone to gps but they cant help. it realy makes me self conscious round girls. ive been struggling with it since i was 13. please help
This might sound weird but ask your doctor to put you on the pill, I had problems with lots of spots and he put me on the pill and it cleared my face completely now I have a spot free face and I couldn't be happier:) I now don't need to wear make-up to cover up and i'm very happy with the result you just need to give it time:)x
im 13 years old, and have been having acne since i was about 8. but when it 1st started, it was a few spots here and there, now i have them nearly all over my face, and my cheeks are always red and odd looking! is this normal?
id had acne like that for years i had some isotretanoin wich is prescribed by dermatologist's only you have to ask your doctor to refer you youll probaby get dry lips and dry skin thats what i got you cut easy too theres more serious sideaffects but thell go over them with you i had to have 2 6 week cycles and it does work alot of my scars have paled but you can have treatment for any thats left :)
i'm 14 and don't really have acne- but i do have spots and i have done everything i've tryed creams like clean and clear and neutragena i went to my gp and tried duac and the tablet oxytetracycline. I then got referred to a dermatologist who put me on differin gel and panoxyl facewash as well as tetralysal tablets. Then i was put on roacctune, i had to have a blood test every month, a pregnancy test and get a new prescription. While i was on it my skin was clearing up and i was clear for about six months afterward, then around may 2011 my skin flared up again.I'm now back on duac and differin-i'm desperate to get clear skin...someone please just help me.
i used to have loads of acne on my face my neck and back i refused to were low cut tops because of this so i tried freederm gel does NOT work i took my mums evenin primrose oil for 4 days and still take it now because it got rid of all my spots and gives my skin that healthy glow x x x
Nodulocystic acne-Medical history : i'm jarrah 29 yr old male with history o papules and pustules over the back and chest since 2 yrs . Aggravation of lesion with eruption of large nodules occurred since 1 yr . The lesion heal with alot of scarring . There no history of significant medical illness . He was treated with oral isotretinoin for 8 month . The condition improved partially with recurrence of lesion on discontinuation . O/E:there are multiple large cysts,nodules,crusteod lesion's as well as scars . The active lesions are predominant over the chest and back , with ledions over the Thighs,axilla,and face . Investigations:CBC,and Biochemistry profile-WNL
hi, I'm 15 and have been suffering from acne since I was 13. At first it was the odd pimple her and there. Just a few white heads and blackheads.In the past year or so I have noticed it getting really bad. I have tryed most over the counted treatments-it just makes the spots more red and inflammed. I have been tp the doctors and they gave me benzyol peroxide 2.5 but that just dryed out my skin and didn't help. Now I eat well and moisterise/look after my skin but I still get inflammed acne when I'm stressed/ have a period. I can't even cure white heads/blackheads. How can I treat this acne? And also treat the marks left behind? Thank you
1. when you wash your face - dont rub. 2.when you dry your face- pat it dry. That way it is not too irritating to the skin. 3.Also if you wear glasses clean them with water and dry every time. 4.wash your hair at least 2/3 times a week. 5.Wash your face after coming from school,. 6.drink a good amount of water - but not too much because your body might one day be waiting for you to refill it with water but you didnt and you end up with your spots being worse. (look at your pee as an indicator it should not be that dark) this is in the order that the acne became less, esp the lip to nose area 7.if you do youe eye
Hi there :) I know how you feel.. i had acne from the age of 13 to 15 really severly. After my acne had gone i was left with bad scarring. My stepmother is a dermatologist, and out of all the things in the world to prescribe, she made me put on Sudocrem (the baby cream to keep nappy rashes away, not sure i spelt it correctly) ... Amazingly enough it worked wonderfully and i now have no scars AT ALL. Most of my friends use it now too because it just had such great results :) so if i could recommend one thing to get rid of scarring, i would say sudocrem! :) xx
I've never suffered with acne. Just a few spots here and there, and a few one my forehead which really get to me, my forehead is so greasy its unbelievable, but it does calm down and is less noticable. The spots I'm concerned with are 'under' my skin. I feel bumps on my cheeks (and forehead), my face was clear before I had a facial done for my birthday (in September). I know I reacted to it badly, and its all over my back too, spots, red, all over my chest. Anyway, when I squeeze (yes, I know its bad, but I just wanted to test) the bumps on my cheeks, white stuff comes out in like a stringy form. Not like popping a proper spot where the puss comes out. Anybody know what these are? They are all over my chin, my cheeks and my forehead and on the side of my face near my eyes/hair. It's really hard to cover with makeup, plus I hate wearing makeup because I'm extremely pale and nothing seems to match my skintone, I look orange, and my face is terrible with makeup because it goes all crumby and dry. Does anyone have any solutions as to how to get RID of these bumps? I've used so many creams, from pharmacys, from my gp, nothing works!!! :'( And I'm 18 now I would have thought my acne/hormones would have settled.