We have a case of teenage acne in our house that I’m tackling from a number of angles including food. As well as looking at skincare options, nutrition can play a big part in bringing about relief with a range of options to consider from increasing the wholefoods your teen eats such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains to carefully chosen supplements.
Teenage acne is caused by a surge in hormones and involves overactive oil glands in the skin and a build-up of sebum, plus dead skin cells and bacteria leading to inflamed and blocked pores.
Everybody starts from a different baseline and what works for one person may not work for another, but there are some key areas to tackle such as reducing fizzy drinks and sugary foods.
Here’s an insight into some of the changes we are making - it’s important to note that this is a plan that we've jointly devised otherwise I wouldn’t get sign up!
· Daily probiotic supplement containing strains identified by research to improve acne by targeting gut health.
· Getting at least one daily portion of vitamin A rich fruit and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato, kale and mango.
· Increasing zinc intake through pumpkin seeds, which we’ll sprinkle onto porridge and add to smoothies.
· Good hydration by drinking around 2 litres of water at regular intervals across the day.
Do let me know if you have any tips for managing teenage acne and also feel free to contact me if you would you like help with your teen’s diet.