Your teen probably asks you for a lot of things that seem silly or extravagant, but if they ask you for a professional facial, you may want to take them seriously. If you’re a parent reading this, you may be thinking – “I don’t take the time (or money) to get a facial for myself!” We hear you. But, it’s important to remember that treating your teen to a facial with a trained aesthetician is less about luxury and more about the healthcare benefits. And, no one said you shouldn’t join them! At the Center for Aesthetic and Laser Medicine (CALM) in Tyler, TX, Dr. Jennifer Holman often recommends professional facials for teens, especially those who are struggling with acne.
According to Dr. Holman, “As both a dermatologist and the mother of young teenagers, I absolutely think that regular aesthetician visits are incredibly useful for teens as they battle normal teenage acne and hormonal changes. There are several benefits to starting early with aesthetician facials.” Below, we’ll walk you through Dr. Holman’s top five benefits of teen facials.
1 – Learn Healthy Skin Care Habits
The number one benefit of visiting an aesthetician for facials is the educational factor. If you were lucky, you had a knowledgeable parent or guardian who was able to teach you great skin care habits when you were a teen. Today, many teens turn to the internet where YouTube videos may be teaching them ineffective or potentially damaging skin care methods. An aesthetician doesn’t just want to provide the facial and move on. They are trained to help people learn to care for their skin.
If you didn’t struggle with acne as a teen, you as a parent may not be able to help your teen deal with this difficulty. An aesthetician can help. Dr. Holman says, “As soon as a teenager begins to see signs of early breakouts, it is great to have someone help teach them healthy skin care habits, encourage them to wash their face twice daily, and help get them started on basic anti-acne treatment plans.”
2 – Combat Teenage Acne Flareups Due to Hormonal Changes
During the teenage years, acne can be frustrating to treat for teens, and Dr. Holman sees regular facials as a way to stay up-to-date on her younger patients’ struggles. She said, “As a physician, I like having my patients receive regular facials from the aestheticians, as teenage acne is often labile and unpredictable. If an acne flare occurs or if the teenager’s acne treatment regimen is not helping it is great to have a point of communication between visits.”
3 – Help Teens Learn to Refrain from Picking & Popping
Another way that visiting an aesthetician for facials can help teens is to teach them to avoid picking at their skin and popping pimples. Dr. Holman educates the parents of her patients by explaining that, “For teenagers with a tendency to pick at their skin, having an appointment with the aesthetician often provides accountability and helps them refrain from traumatizing their skin.” Instead, an aesthetician can teach your teen how to gently and effectively treat acne between visits.
4 – Teen Facials Keep Skin Clearer Between Dermatologist Visits
Once your teen has a good acne management plan, you may not visit the dermatologist very often. Most patients with acne only visit their dermatologist once or twice a year for checkups, and they may come in when there is a concern. This can be frustrating for teens who are dealing with flare-ups throughout the year. According to Dr. Holman, treatments performed by aestheticians such as “Basic microdermabrasion, chemical peels, Hydrafacials, and extractions are all tools that augment the medical therapies that I prescribe and help teenagers to see their effects earlier.” Between visits, these facials can help to keep your teen’s skin clearer, and they make the impact of long-term acne treatments visible more quickly.
5 – Teen Facials Provide Improved Self-Esteem with Immediate Results
“In our instant gratification society, it is key to build rapport and trust with teenage patients and to get their skin cleared quickly, and aesthetician visits and facials are a great way to do this,” according to Dr. Holman. When it comes to helping teens with acne feel more confident, the immediate results they’ll see following a facial are much more gratifying than waiting for the gradual impact of their long-term acne treatment plan. When your teen sees these immediate results, he or she may be more apt to comply with the skin care plan their dermatologist provided in order to maintain the results they can already see.
What Happens During Teen Facials?
Your teen’s facial will be uniquely geared toward meeting their individual needs and keeping their skin healthy. The aesthetician will likely start by asking about your teen’s skincare routine and current acne treatments. They will determine skin type to ensure they can directly address the teen’s individual needs. Next, the skin is exfoliated to loosen and remove the dry surface-level skin cells. In most cases, steam will be used to soften and open pores, so the can perform gentle extractions without harm to the skin. This helps to clear up the skin, so the teen will see that immediate improvement.
Next, a mask is applied to the face. These facial masks are completely customized to a teen’s needs. The mask will be left in place for several minutes, half an hour, or longer, depending on the purpose of the treatment and ingredients used. The aesthetician will then remove the mask and apply an oil-free moisturizing lotion.
Finally, your aesthetician will talk about skin care at home. They may recommend specific products, but your aesthetician should also explain the ingredients in those products that will make them beneficial as part of a skincare routine. If the aesthetician’s skin care recommendations ever conflict with the treatment plan from your dermatologist, you should schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to discuss changes before starting a new routine.
How Often Should Teens Have Facials?
For teens struggling with severe acne, a facial every other week or at least once a month may be appropriate. Teens who have some flare-ups can maintain clear, healthy skin with facials three or four times a year.
Visit U.S. Dermatology Partners to Learn More
Dr. Holman is a Board-Certified Dermatologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. She serves patients at U.S. Dermatology Partners Tyler on Dominion Plaza and at the Center for Aesthetic and Laser Medicine (CALM) in Tyler, Texas. If you live in East Texas, Dr. Holman and the U.S. Dermatology Partners team in Tyler will be happy to help you with all of your skin care needs – at any age. If you want to work with a U.S. Dermatology Partners practice in your area, take a few moments to complete our simple, online appointment request form. We have offices across the country, and a U.S. Dermatology Partners office in your area will be in touch soon to schedule your visit.
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