Why is my skin changing?

As you go through puberty (can be through ages 8-16), your hormones will fluctuate and stimulate glands which make sebum (sticky and oily substance which is created to make sure your skin is moisturized). Often, your skin will make too much sebum which leads to your pores clogging with excess oils and bacteria. This may lead to acne!

It should be noted that hormonal acne can be caused by stress and lack of sleep as well. That is why it is extremely important to make sure you 8-10 hours per night while time-managing!

Hormonal acne is USUALLY located in the T-zone shown above!

You probably know the saying you are what you eat, and well...it is true! Spikes in blood sugar, which may come from you eating too much of processed foods or sugary foods, causes inflammation in the body. This inflammation has the ability to make too much sebum which we know has the potential to cause acne as seen before! This acne will most likely be on your face on your cheek area. 

That is why following a low-glycemic diet reduces your chances of getting acne that stems from your food choices. A low-glycemic diet consists of dark-leafy greens, nuts, beans, non-starch vegetables, fruits, and more healthy items! 

Now, this does NOT mean that you are banned from eating a chocolate bar or chips, but make sure to eat them in a balanced way with healthier foods!

We get in contact with the sun's rays everyday just by being outside, and while getting the sun may be your "best source" of getting Vitamin D, there are numerous issues that can occur by staying in the sun too long without proper protection. 

UV rays from the sun can cause you skin to become elastic, wrinkles, and in extreme cases, skin cancer. The UV rays from the sun can damage your skin cells. This causes the immune system to react by sending blood flow to that area which creates inflammation (sunburn). The UV radiation also has the ability to damage the DNA in our skin cells which makes cancerous cells, creating skin cancer. These skin issues can occur all over your body!

This is why applying sunscreen is crucial to keeping healthy skin as the sunscreen will absorb most of the reflecting UV lights.