Skin Health Information for Teens, Fifth Edition

Provides basic consumer health information about skin health for teens, including facts about its origins, stages, types, transmission, risk factors, prevention, and co-occurring infections, along with tips for protecting the skin, updated statistics, and reports on current research initiatives. Includes index and resource information.

Skin conditions contribute 1.79 percent of the global burden of disease worldwide. It is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. Coping with diseases like skin cancer and scleroderma can leave teens overwhelmed and desperate for information. And while conditions like acne and vitiligo are not physically threatening, they can be emotionally devastating at a period when appearance is all-important. 35 percent of American adults, 59 percent of college students, and 17 percent of teens have reported using a tanning bed in their lifetime. Other conditions that might seem harmless – like birthmarks, blushing, and excess sweating – also can affect self-esteem. In addition, teens make choices about the sun and outdoor exposure, body art, and beauty products that have the potential to damage the skin’s health and weaken its protective ability.

Skin Health Information for Teens, Fifth Edition provides updated information on medical conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails. It describes the basics of healthy skin and skincare, taking different skin types into account. It explains prevention, warning signs, and treatment options for skin cancer and spells out the risks of tanning – outside and indoors. Acne is discussed in-depth, including scar treatment and developing a healthy self-image even with facial skin that is different. Care of common conditions–such as allergic rashes, viral infections like cold sores, and injuries like cuts, scrapes, bruises, bites, and stings – is also covered. Information to help teens make healthy choices as they express themselves through cosmetics, piercing, and tattoos is also included. Finally, the book provides a section on further reading about skin concerns and a directory of additional resources.