The teenage years are marked with fun and frolic. Teenagers have an immensely active lifestyle juggling between school, socializing with friends, sports and so on. However, this is time when the hormones are highly active as well and any undue fluctuations in the regular hormonal levels may result in acne, breakouts and other skin problems. Fortunately, all you need to do is follow an effective skin care routine and you can enjoy your teenage years without any worry.

Just a simple skin care routine and good skin care habits can make a world of difference to your teenage skin. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Cleansing

This is the most important step of any skin care regimen. Use a gentle foamy gel cleanser to clean your face. Try getting one with salicylic acid if you are prone to acne and breakouts. Slather the cleanser on and wash your face and neck for about a minute. Even though it is a simple step, it can be ineffective if you don't do it properly. Cleansing your skin ensures that all your skin pores are clean and free of all toxins. Also, make sure you wash off any make-up that you wear at night otherwise it would clog the skin pores and lead to acne and breakouts.

Exfoliation

Exfoliating is very important for teenage skin. It helps to clear out the follicles thus preventing them from getting clogged. In fact, it also helps to improve the overall skin tone. Teenage skin is comparatively sensitive, so make sure you don't scrub too hard, especially if you are prone to breakouts. This is because the exfoliating beads can spread the bacteria over the skin and aggravate the problems. You can use a mild exfoliating lotion like Obagi Nu Derm Exfoderm Forte that contains alpha hydroxy acids or Obagi Nu Derm Exfoderm with phytic acid for less oily skin.

Moisturizing

Teenagers often tend to overlook moisturizing without realizing how important it is for your skin. A major concern is moisturizers make the skin appear more oily and promote acne. However, you only need to find the perfect moisturizer and you can be free of all worries. Try using water based moisturizers that are free of SD alcohol. This would hydrate your skin subtly without making it too oily.

Sun Protection

Do not forget to apply sunscreen whenever you venture out in the sun. Prevention is always better than the cure. If you don't take care of your skin and protect it from sun at this age, you will face grave consequences later. It's best to avoid premature aging by taking adequate precautions. Protect your skin now and it will thank you for it later!

Apart from this skin care regimen, you can also develop some healthy skin care habits. Here are some things you can do...

Make sure everything that touches your face (like hats, mobile phones, shirt collar, handkerchiefs etc.) is clean. Often, bacteria from these things get transferred to your face and cause acne breakouts, especially along the chin and hairline.

Wash your hands before you touch your face. During the course of the day, your hand touches a lot of things and if you touch your face without washing your hands, the germs can get transferred and cause irritations and acne breakouts.

Always buy non-comedogenic skin care products. Comedogenic ingredients tend to clog the skin pores and promote acne and breakouts. Some of the common comedogenic ingredients that you need to stay away from are mineral oil, lanolin, SD alcohol, and isopropyl myristate. Also, avoid using skin care products that contain additional chemical fragrances and color.

Avoid using drying products. Teenagers with oily skin often use drying products to control the oiliness on the face. However, these products just have an anti effect. To compensate for the dryness, the skin tends to produce more oil and as a result, the skin becomes oilier.

Don't pick at your pimples, no matter how irresistible it is. Picking on pimples can spread bacteria and cause scars on your face. Instead use acne spot treatments that contain powerful ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, etc. the moment you feel a breakout starting.