{"id":48131,"date":"2026-05-18T06:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T04:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=48131"},"modified":"2026-05-15T13:20:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T11:20:36","slug":"overdoing-skincare-in-adolescence-can-do-more-harm-than-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2026\/05\/overdoing-skincare-in-adolescence-can-do-more-harm-than-good\/","title":{"rendered":"Overdoing skincare in adolescence can do more harm than good"},"content":{"rendered":"
More and more teenagers are using cosmetics intended for adults that contain active ingredients – yet overdoing skincare at this age can even make things worse. In adolescence, a poorly chosen skincare routine can lead to dry skin, irritation, and even painful or itchy allergic reactions, says Dr. Anik\u00f3 Kov\u00e1cs, a dermatologist at Semmelweis University\u2019s Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology.<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>In recent years, the skincare habits of children and teenagers have changed dramatically. Influenced by trends on social media, this age group is now starting to use cosmetics, makeup products, and preparations containing active ingredients at an increasingly younger age. \u201cHowever, it\u2019s important to distinguish between cases when a young person actually has a skin problem or when they are treating completely healthy skin,\u201d explains Dr. Anik\u00f3 Kov\u00e1cs. As she notes, young skin is not yet mature, so it is more sensitive and vulnerable to active ingredients than adult skin.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest dangers in teenage skincare is overdoing it. Young skin does not require a complex routine, but rather conscious, moderate care using reliable preparations. Cosmetics sold in Hungary and the European Union undergo strict testing, making them a safer choice than products from unknown sources. \u201cIf possible, it is worth seeking advice from a dermatologist or pharmacist when selecting the right products,\u201d the expert recommends.<\/p>\n

For children who do not have skin problems – such as those in the 10-11 age group – gentle facial cleansing, for example with fragrance-free micellar water, and the use of a sunscreen in the mornings that is suitable for their skin type, are sufficient. Excessive moisturizing at this age can even cause complaints, such as skin inflammation around the mouth. One of the most common mistakes is using anti-acne products with a strong drying effect on healthy or slightly oily skin. This can easily lead to dry skin, irritation, and red, itchy, or even painful allergic reactions, known as contact dermatitis.<\/p>\n

The most common skin problem in adolescence is acne. It typically appears on the face, and in more severe cases, on the back or chest, where there are many sebaceous glands. Treatment is based on regular facial cleansing once or twice a day with a cleanser specifically formulated for oily skin, removing makeup and impurities, followed in the evening by applying acne-fighting creams containing active ingredients, and moisturizing and sun protection in the morning. The specialist also warns that \u201chome remedies\u201d circulating on social media and the simultaneous use of multiple strong active ingredients can significantly worsen the symptoms.<\/p>\n

Wearing makeup is now routine even among teenagers, but it is important to remove all traces of makeup every day and, whenever possible, avoid using products that are too oily or provide heavy coverage.<\/p>\n

\n

If a child\u2019s skin becomes red or inflamed after wearing makeup or using cosmetics, the first step is always to wash off the product. In milder cases, soothing creams containing panthenol can help, but if symptoms do not improve, a medical examination is necessary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In adolescence, skincare is not a competition: Less is often more, and a conscious, age-appropriate routine protects skin health in the long term.<\/p>\n

Eszter Csat\u00e1ri-F\u00f6ldv\u00e1ry
\nTranslation: Dr. Bal\u00e1zs Csizmadia
\nPhotos by B\u00e1lint Barta \u2013 Semmelweis University
\nFeatured image: iStock by Getty Images\/Iryna Olkhova<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In recent years, the skincare habits of children and teenagers have changed dramatically.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102369,"featured_media":48134,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129,286],"tags":[339],"class_list":["post-48131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-x-nyitolap","tag-prevention"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102369"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48131"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48137,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48131\/revisions\/48137"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}