• Home

Parents Shouldn’t Ignore 
Their Teens’ Skin Problems

DUBAI - Highlighting the importance of a healthy skin, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched a nationwide school-based awareness campaign for teenagers.

The National Teen Skin Health Programme will run in 586 schools. It aims to educate over 150,000 teenagers across the country in its first phase.

Highlighting the most common skin problems affecting teenagers in the UAE, Dr Jobeetha Yoosuf from Jebel Ali Hospital, an expert on skin care says, “Acne is a common and annoying 
skin problem common among teenagers which can severely affect their 
self esteem. Some teenagers accept the problem, but several others can get depressed even though they understand this is part of the growing up process,” she adds. The expert explains that recent studies have linked the skin condition with diet and stress.

“Acne is caused by hormone changes in the body but diet and stress can also trigger the condition,” she explains.

People of all ethnicities get acne, boys as well as girls. It usually starts at the age of 11, though outbreaks can appear up until the age of 30, and some people suffer from it well into their 40s and 50s.

Acne and spots are not a health threat, but it can cause significant emotional distress for adolescents, as well as for their parents.

The negative effects can be felt as low self-esteem, social isolation and loneliness grip the young men and women, say experts underlining that parents should not stay silent, but adopt an active role in the skin care of their teenage children.

“It is very important to adopt good attitudes and self-confidence strategies to help counter the psychological effects of teenage acne.

“Treating the acne should be every teen or parent’s first line of defence,” says Dr Jobeetha.

The objective of this multi-year campaign is to promote optimal skin health and development in teenage girls by educating and encouraging them to adopt healthy eating habits and to develop a skin care routine to keep their skin healthy and free of acne, spots and blackheads.

“The health programme is designed to educate teens on the different aspects of their health by adopting healthy eating habits, practicing physical activities and adopting skin care routine,” says Ahmed Abdul Rehman, Head of Students Activities Department at the MoE.

Skin care expert Johnson and Johnson are also part of the campaign. “Our goal is to educate teens that health and skin care are important and many skin problems, including acne, can be prevented or treated with developing a skin care routine which fits their lifestyle,” says Dr Nahed Sabry from Johnson and Johnson.

The programme will include day long sessions in schools with lectures given by a healthcare professional, besides including fun activities for students.