Binge Drinking: A Sober Risk for Teenagers

Liquor stores, bars, and alcoholic beverage companies make drinking seem attractive and fun. It's easy for anyone to get caught up in a social scene with lots of peer pressure. Inevitably, one of the biggest areas of peer pressure, especially among teenagers is drinking.

Many people, especially the youth, don't normally think about the negative side of drinking. Although they think about the consequences of getting drunk, not too much attention is given to the possibility of being hung-over or throwing up. Some people do not know that excessive drinking can lead to loss of  concentration, memory lapses, mood changes, and other problems that could affect their day-to-day life. Even with all the public health warnings, there is still a significant portion of the population that would ignore the more serious and longer-lasting risks of alchohol abuse.

When it comes to heavy drinking, the phrase “binge drinking” comes to mind. The phrase was originally used to refer to heavy drinking that lasted for several days.  Nowadays, the meaning of “binge drinking” has drastically changed. To most people, binge drinking brings to mind self-destruction and unrestrained drinking bout lasting for at least a couple of days during which time the heavily intoxicated drinker drops out by not working, ignoring responsibilities, squandering money, and engaging in other harmful behaviors such as fighting or risky sex. Binge drinking is not only dangerous to the drinker, but to the people around him or her.


According to a recent study issued by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York, about half of U.S. college students binge drink. The report states that 49 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 binge drink, consuming five or more drinks at a time. The percentage of students who drink remained about even with a similar 1993 report. The statistics show a steady increase in the number of students who engaged in binge drinking. But the proportion of students who binge drink frequently, defined as drinking three or more times over two weeks, rose by 16 percent from 1993 to 2005. Drinking 10 or more times per month rose 25 percent, and drinking three or more times per month rose 26 percent.

Binge drinking impairs judgment, so drinkers are more likely to take risks they might not take when they're sober. They may drive drunk, which then increases the risk of being involved in car accidents. Driving isn't the only motor skill that's impaired, though. Walking is also more difficult while intoxicated. In 2000, roughly one third of pedestrians 16 and older who were killed in traffic accidents were intoxicated. People who are drunk also take other risks they might not normally take when they're sober. For example, people who have impaired judgment may have unprotected sex, putting them at greater risk of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or unplanned pregnancy.

Studies also show that people who binge-drink throughout high school are more likely to be overweight and obese and have high blood pressure by the time they are 24. Just one regular beer contains about 150 calories, which adds up to a lot of calories if someone drinks four or five beers a night. Some studies have shown that people who binge-drink heavily like those who have three or more episodes of binge drinking in 2 weeks have some of the symptoms of alcoholism.

For teenagers, it can be hard for some of them to talk to adults about these issues, so an alternative person to talk to could be a trusted friend or older sibling. Drinking too much can be the result of social pressures, and sometimes it helps to know there are others who have gone through the same thing. A supportive friend or adult could help one to avoid pressure situations, stop drinking, or find counseling. There will always be someone who can help and put a halt on this dilemma.

Gift Wrapping Ideas

If you're tired of your gifts looking like everyone else's, put some creative thought to it. Gifts don't have to just be paper and ribbon that you bought at the store. Let some of these ideas inspire you.

* Name Tags - Instead of using name tags, use the front cover from leftover Christmas or other holidays. Just cut along the crease and glue or tape the card to the top of your wrapped package. Most designs have some unprinted space to allow you to write the name of the recipient and a short note.

* Decoration - Instead of using ribbons and bows, make the decoration part of the gift. Tie a bunch of cinnamon stick on top with ribbon. Tie your package with satin or velvet ribbon and let the ends of the ribbon flow down the package. Add a silk flower inserted in the knot of the bow. If your recipient likes to cook, tie wooden kitchen utensils in the bow. Your ribbon or wrapping paper could be replaced with a decorative kitchen towel.

* Festive boxes - For small items, buy small Chinese take out cartons, the ones that have a folded top and metal handle. Decorate the outside with brightly colored stickers of hearts, flower, or Christmas themes. Write the recipients name on the top flaps.

* Original Wrapping Paper - At the craft store, buy sponges that have been cut into shapes of flowers, sailboats, etc. Dip them in paint and press them onto plain white wrapping paper or Kraft colored paper. Your decoration can fit the gift or the recipients taste.

* Trimmings - Instead of using bows on every package, buy ornaments or small toys when they are on sale. Use these items that best fit your recipient's hobby or lifestyle and tie or glue them onto your package.

* Name Sacks - Sew up some red, blue, yellow, and green velvet squares into sacks. Turn down the top edge, sew in place to allow a small opening for a drawstring. Write the recipients name on the bag with glue and sprinkle the glue with glitter. Fill the sacks with candy or small toys. Use more string to wrap around the package and through the drawstring to secure the sacks.

Birth Control Considerations for Teenagers

Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experience amidst a young person's life. It can interrupt school or other plans in their young lives. It can create an emotional crisis resulting in feelings of depression, shame and fear.  The stress of how a teenager go through to break this news to her parents might be even greater, and finding help may seem an impossible task.


There are researches that indicate that sex education and access to effective contraception are essential in preventing unplanned pregnancy in the teenage population. Some teenage pregnancies occur as a result of young women's sexual inexperience and an inadequate understanding of their reproductive cycle. Th research suggests that knowledge about reproductive matters and access to contraception are necessary to prevent unintended adolescent pregnancy.


According to another research, it has shown that the number of births to teenagers has decreased considerably over the last few decades. This decrease is most likely due to the increased availability of abortion and birth control, rather than a decrease in sexual activity.

There has been an increase in abstinence and the use birth control methods among teens in the late 90s, although this does not attribute the changes to sex education alone. With so many methods available and so many factors to consider, choosing birth control can be difficult. Teenagers now have a lot of options and making a choice can be a bit difficult, if not outright confusing.  The key is to carefully check available product literature and sources of information about birth control methods. Making an informed decision is the consumer's responsibility before using a birth control product or whatever product there is.

One of the first considerations a teenager might wish to have is whether she wants a permanent or temporary birth control.  This is a decision that will affect the rest of her life and can be made only after thinking it through carefully. If a teenager knows that she will not ever want to conceive or get pregnant, tubal ligation or tubal implants may be the appropriate method to use.

An unplanned pregnancy would seriously impact a teenager's plans for the future and thus, choosing a birth control method that is highly effective is a must.
Some people argue that sexual abstinence is not a true form of birth control. But, birth control is any act, drug, or device that is intended to prevent pregnancy.

This means that choosing to abstain is really a contraceptive. Among teens, abstinence is the most popular method of birth control. Among people aged 15-19, fewer than half have ever had sex. Over one in ten women of reproductive age have never had sex at all.
If a teenager has health problems or other risk factors, some birth control methods may not be right for them. Other health problems that might keep one from using a particular birth control method are relatively rare, especially in young women. However, before using any method, it is definitely important for a teenager to seek and talk with a health professional.

How to Be Romantic

No one is born romantic.  But like most things in life, being romantic is something that can be learned.  Although romantic gestures may seem like they come easily to some people that is only because they’ve had lots of practice and because they are in tune with what motivates the opposite sex.  Because that’s all that is involved.  Being romantic involves finding out what your partner wants (not what they need!), and then finding a unique way to meet those wants.  Pretty simple, huh?

Let’s get one thing cleared up first.  Being romantic isn’t about some grand extravagant gesture like flying first class to Paris for a 2 week romantic blitz.  It’s about the little things.  Little things are simple things that you do for your loved one. Despite the fact that they are "little" they can mean a lot because it illustrates that you took time out of your busy life just to show them how much you care.

One thing that most people want, male and female, is to feel special and loved.  It’s how you show them that you love them, where the challenge comes in.  Some people feel loved when they are told repeatedly that they are loved.  Others feel loved when they are touched frequently.  And others see love in gestures and everyday kindnesses.  Of course, there are others that may need all three of the above to really feel loved and secure but usually there is one need that dominates.  You need to find out what your partner needs and then you can begin working out what method you will use to romance them.

Not sure what your loved one prefers?  Do an experiment or three and see how they respond?  You’ll very quickly work it out.

What can you do if your loved one wants to hear how much you love them?  You need to tell them.  But don’t just tell them and have it coming off like some kind of rote response to hello or goodbye or please pass the pepper.  Think about different ways you can get your message across.  You could:
. Post them a good old fashioned love letter
. Send a romantic email
. Text them a love message
. Place a love note somewhere it will be found easily, in their car or lunch bag or under their pillow or taped to the phone receiver or their computer
. For the kid in all of us!  Use multi-colored, sidewalk chalk to draw a BIG heart in red and write “I love you" in the middle of the heart.  Do this someplace prominent like your driveway so that when your partner comes home they will see it right away.
. Make a long list of the many reasons why you love your partner and have the list framed and present it to them.
. If you don’t live together, call your loved one just to say goodnight and recite a favorite love poem over the phone.
. Give your loved one a compliment, about how great they look or what their smile does to you


If your loved one needs regular physical contact to feel loved you can:
. Give them a massage – backs and feet at the end of a work week is always well received!
. Keep in physical contact as often as you can, for example, when watching TV together, eating dinner (it doesn’t just have to be hands, you can make sure your feet or legs are touching)
. Give them random hugs
. Put your arm around your loved one in public
. Hold hands as you walk side by side
. Cuddle up in your pj’s and watch a romantic movie together
. Make sure you kiss them when you get home and kiss before you leave

If your actions speak louder than words for your loved one then you’ll want to focus on gestures that express your feelings.  You can try:
. While your partner showers, heat up his or her towel in the dryer.
. Have flowers delivered to partner at work.
. Surprise your partner by arriving home with their favorite drink, snack, or ice-cream.
. Arrange for an intimate lunch date with your partner.  Then afterward, send a virtual card. Tell them how much you enjoyed lunch together.
. Call your partner in the middle of the day to discuss your romantic plans for that evening.
. Write your own love coupon offering an hour of your time as their personal love slave.
. Cook a favorite meal for your partner and then eat it, slowly, by candlelight.
. Pick a bouquet of wild flowers and present them with a kiss.
. Call spontaneously at their work to say “I am thinking of you.”

If they like all of the above then you can really go wild and mix it all up together.  The only limit is your own imagination and the desire to make it happen.

Acne As A Teen Disease

Acne is one of the major problems teenagers face, it is something that, in some conditions, may have a devastating effect on their social life, self esteem and mental health. The acne condition can range from mild to severe, and in some cases is very difficult to treat and decrease. In addition to acne being a skin condition that is, to say the least, unpleasant, it also have social and emotional effect. This effect carries with it a multitude of psychological issues that change teens lives in different ways.

When thinking back I remember my acne problem and very clearly remember that my friends and peers were not much of a help to me at those times. Society seems to react to this skin condition in the worst possible way, when the spirit of the teenager is at its most delicate phase. This is a prime reason to why many teens try and avoid social events, situation where they might be in danger of embracement over a skin condition on which they seemingly have no control.

One big problem is that some people do not understand the acne problem for the mere reason that they never suffered from it, obviously this creates a terrible situation where the teen is not only ridiculed for the acne he suffers from, he gets this from others that very clearly do not have the problem. In more recent years, however, the problems faced by those who suffer from acne are being more widely addressed, and the social and psychological effects being studied more closely.

Some will say that the problem is our society and the norms it sets, the definition of beauty or of health in certain ages and in certain cultures. In a society where so much importance is placed on appearance and complying to the "norm", higher standards have been set concerning what people do and don't accept. In the defining phase of his life, the teenager is extremely exposed to these social agreements and this creates problems with the understanding of the limits to improvement and the shame that follows lack of improvement. For teens this very important and sometimes even seem crucial. Many teenagers slowly get used to what other teenagers say about them and within a short period of time become very critical of their appearance and social possibilities, it is of course ridicules that a young man will judge himself for having a skin condition but this actually happens and even more, some teens begin to develop inner hate towards themselves – because of this social pressure.

The best solution for explaining and combating acne and its social implications, it is recommended that a parent or a guide of some sort will explain to the teen that acne is caused by many different things, many factors contribute to the development of acne. In teens it is believed that hormones are the primary reason, hormones cause the body to produce excess oil, which in turn clogs pores and causes pimples. This kind of situation can be solved by regular acne treatment. The parent should also explain that eating certain foods and the way you clean your face also has little to do with the development of acne, reassuring the teen at this point is very important as he is very likely to be bombarded with exaggerated acne urban tales that create a feeling like everything the teen is doing is the cause of the acne, as if it was a curse he couldn’t shake.

Anger Managements for Teens

As the kid comes to understand the world of being a teenager, there are many confusions and chaos, which can sometimes bring some impact to their growth. As kids make the transition, many elements can make their body and mind out of control. This may turn to anger if not guided well. Parents and teachers must educate the kids of the different transitional changes that will happen to their body.

Teens can react indifferently if they are confused. Young teens from twelve to sixteen years of age are more prone to doing things their own way because they feel that their emotions and freedom are being controlled, this results to unmanaged anger.

Teens of today's world are more prone to pressures compared to the teens of the past. They are more exposed to violence and hostility. Other teens may come from a broken home where domestic abuse are constantly present. By the time they are starting to grow, they are exposed to things like these problems, so they tend to get out of out of control. They might have angers that can be expressed in the most antisocial form. That is why sometimes, they are required to undergo anger management.

Teens may experience frustrations that drive them to do criminal acts. The best way to revive a teen from this world is to seek help from their parents, teachers and law enforcers. They can train the teen on how to respond rationally to all these stress. They can teach the teens how to identify negative feelings and practice more mature behaviors as well.

Anger management programs can also be of great help to these suffering teens. This special program teaches them to improve their behaviors in ways that are more acceptable. The will be taught on how to think positive especially if they are from families who do not show them positive responses to stressors. From this, they can now learn how to handle difficult feelings.

Lime for Health and Beauty

Although it has sour taste, lime (citrus aurantifolia) has many benefits, from as being used for flavouring beverage to supporting beauty. This fruit functions as expectorant, astringen, antiseptic and antioksidant. No wonder it becomes one of the most popular fruits in the world.

According to the historical data available, lime came from South East Asia before spreading to Africa, Europe and US. But whenever its origin, one should admit that it has many amazing benefits.

For instance, it works wonder for a smelly body. Having smelly body can reduce one's confidence, right? That's why some people also use it for washing their hands after eating.

For you who have oily skin, lime can solve the problem by causing the pores to contract. That is why this fruit is often used to reduce the oil on an oily face. By rubbing it on your face, particularly on your nose and forehead, you can overcome any problem that is commonly inherent in an oily face such as acne. Well, by opening your kitchen cabinet and with a few minutes of preparation you can find a safer, less expensive, and easy-to-use natural skin care.

The same goes for the skin of your head; lime can be used to vanish annoying dandruff. If you want to use this fruit as dandruff cure, first squezee it and use the water. Rub the water on your head skin and leave it for about half an hour. Then wash your head with water.

Having cold.and flu? Don't worry! This fruit is a good home remedy for cold and flu. Boil three limes in 500 ml of water. Leave it until the amount of water become half of the original amount. Add honey and drink it warm.  

If you get cut, smear its water on it. Although it is painful, the astringen substance will stop the cut from bleeding and cover it.

Last, don't forget that this fruit is very juicy. Although not as rich as in other kinds of citrus fruits, Vitamin C contained in lime is much enough. You can make a fresh drink with it. Add sugar and ice to make it taste better. If you are experiencing throat ache, try to drink it. lime juice can also be drunk by dieting people. Vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamin C are very good for maintaining a balance diet.

The benefits of lime are much longer than just these few. But as always, If you are in doubt, you should consult with any knowledgeable health professional before using it. There will be times when you do need modern medicines or supplements.

Remedial Massage Therapy

Are you suffering from occasional migranes due to your stiff neck?

Are you having back ache problems due to long hours at the computer and no time to exercise?

Are you having muscle aches and have problems even lying down to sleep?

Instead of resorting to drugs and medication, a good alternative to try is remedial massage therapy.  Remedial massage is a holistic treatment; that is, a treatment for the whole of the body, as well as the area being treated.

Remedial massage uses several specialized skills to locate and repair damage and speed up the body’s repair mechanism. A professional remedial massage therapist has to draw on his knowledge of anatomy, physiology, related pathology and the techniques of Swedish massage, heat and cold therapies, Kinesthetics and many other related fields for a complete treatment.

Also, the professional massage therapist will use information about your lifestyle, being your food diet, exercise regime, medical history, etc. for diagnosis.

Remedial massage can involve gentle to strong strokes as well as shallow to deep strokes.  It works on the fact that soft muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia is responsive to touch.  Sensitive points in the muscles often refer to pain in other parts of the body.   For instance, headaches may originate from muscles in the neck and pelvic pains can be caused by certain areas in the abdominal and pelvic area.  Remedial massage helps to stimulate blood flow in these areas, thus reducing pain, swelling and pain, and speeding up the body’s natural healing process.

Remedial massage is one of the most effective and natural treatment for stress related conditions.  Balance is ultimately restored to your body system when your body parts are functioning optimally. You feel a sense of renewal and more energized that ever before!

Do I Have Migraine Headaches?

If you have headaches and are wondering if they could be migraine headaches we can probably help you figure that out. There are some very distinctive characteristics of migraine headaches that can differentiate migraines from other types of headaches such as tension headaches, stress headaches, cluster headaches or other types of headaches.

Migraine headaches are more often than not one-sided, meaning the pain is felt on only one side of the head. Most of the time the pain of a migraine headache can be felt in the temple area or behind one of the eyes or ears. Migraine headaches can become severe and disabling. Nausea is a common symptom of this type of headache as is vomiting or sensitivity to light or sound. About 20% of patients with migraine headaches experience an aura. An aura is a disturbance in vision that can consist of bright blinking colored lights that move across the field of vision.

Migraine headaches can become chronic in nature. When they are chronic the patient most commonly experiences them once or twice a month. However, in some instances migraine headaches can occur as often as once or twice a week. Migraine headaches affect people between the ages of 15 and 55 and are more common in women than in men. Migraines affect women about 3 times as often as men.

Migraines affect about 30 or 40 million Americans, but they are less common than tension headaches. It is estimated that about 75% of all headaches are tension headaches. Tension headaches are typically characterized by a dull pain over the entire head while migraines are usually throbbing in nature and located in one particular spot. In other words, tension-type headaches are a constant dull pain while migraines throb like the beating of the heart.

Chronic tension headaches can occur every day while chronic migraine headaches occur less often, usually once a week to once a month. Fatigue and stress can cause both types of headaches, but migraine headaches can be triggered by other factors such as different types of food. Migraine headaches can sometimes be helped by eliminating these triggers. Foods that may lead to migraines include cheese, alcohol, MSG (monosodium glutamate),
nuts, beans, caffeine, chocolate, onions and others. Eliminating the trigger may eliminate the migraines.

Cluster headaches are far less common than either migraine headaches or tension-type-headaches. Men are about six times more likely than women to experience cluster headaches. The pain of a cluster headache starts quickly, without any warning, and typically reaches its peak between two and fifteen minutes.

The pain of a cluster headache can be extremely intense, deep and explosive. Migraines are usually "pulsing" while clusters are not. Between 10 and 20 percent of cluster patients have "ice-pick" or "stabbing" pain around the eyes. This stabbing pain typically lasts for a few seconds, but can occur several times in succession. When this sudden attack of intense pain occurs it usually means that the headache is near its end.

For natural migraine headache relief it is often beneficial to relax and rest. Sometimes lying in a dark room with an ice pack on the base of the skull can reduce the pressure that is felt in the head. The same treatment can also help tension or stress headaches. Reducing stress can go a long way to relieving many headache symptoms.

If you experience chronic headaches and over-the-counter medication or natural remedies do not help it may be wise to consult a physician.

Common Aromatherapy Uses

Aromatherapy as used today originated in Europe and has been practiced there since the early 1900s. Practitioners of aromatherapy believe that every oil has a vibration or note, which can be used for different therapeutic applications.

Aromatherapy can be used to relax and soothe the mind and body, to energize or even to arouse. Aromatherapy derived from the use of essential oils to solicit specific emotions. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their health supporting properties. The powerful aromas of essential oils affect your moods and feelings through your sense of smell.

By selecting a particular scent, you can encourage a state of relaxation, romance, healing or comfort. Essential oils can be used in Aromatherapy, to scent potpourri, lotions, cosmetics, perfumes, food flavorings and medicinally.

Additionally oils can be used in creating sachets, potpourri, reviving potpourri, and for light bulb scenting. Essential oils can also be used via the bath, diffusion, massage, or compress. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use.

Essential oils can be mixed in a cream essential oil combinations are applied directly to the skin for beauty care or treatment of sores or irritations. By using different essential oils, you can control the nature of those benefits.

A unique property of plants is that many contain natural fragrance or perfume-like scents known as essential oils. Essential oils come from plants while fragrance oils are artificially created and often contain synthetic chemicals.

Essential oils are taken from a plant's flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind, or roots. The yield of essential oil differs with individual plant species-ranging in most cases from about 0.2 to 2.0%. That's why literally tons of plant material are required for just a few hundred pounds of oil.

In some cases different organs of a single plant may contain essential oils of different chemical composition. In the end, even the smallest bottle of essential oil can create a lot of powerful solution. It is important to note that the benefits of aromatherapy do depend on the unique nature of each person's response to an aromatic stimulus.

Acne - Not Just A Problem For Teenagers

Twenty-five percent of all adult men and fifty percent of all adult women suffer from some form of acne. These are the facts but how many adults have never had at least one acne flare up in their adult life? Adults can develop acne well into adulthood- twenties, thirties and forties and beyond that even. No acne is pleasant but somehow adult acne seems worse as acne is typically thought of as an adolescence problem. In reality adult acne, or any acne for that matter, is very hard to deal with and can lead to depression, a negative self-image and social anxiety may occur as well. The causes of adult acne are different for all people and the treatments vary as mush as the causes do. Most adult acne can be treated and managed effectively.

The causes of adult acne are unknown; some people think that adult acne has hormonal roots. The appropriate adult pimple treatment may involve balancing your hormones, which typically requires a trip to your healthcare provider or dermatologist for some testing to conclude that hormones are indeed the problem. The development of a pimple is very detailed and very intricate. While it is known that pores that are clogged can block oil from escaping, it is not known why it happens in one pore and not another. It is also not known why this does not happen in all of the pores. The many causes of adult acne and teen acne include hormone imbalance, diet, genetics, vitamin deficiency, stress, and more. The real explanation may be a complex mix of many of these factors. Since it is not know what causes pimples, it is important to focus on the proper treatment of acne.

Acne is often considered a hormonal disease or condition, meaning hormones are responsible for the maturing of the oil producing glands in our skin. Did you ever wonder why you never see acne on a young child? Young children do not have the hormones needed to mature the skin's oils. Once a person becomes and adult there are many things that can throw our hormones out of balance and in turn wreak havoc on our skin, among other things. Some things that cause such imbalances are puberty, pregnancy, menopause and many other things that cause hormones to flare up. Acne may be precipitated by androgens, the male hormones found in men and women. Oil surpluses made by these hormones are the biggest cause of clogged pores and hair follicles, which results in bacteria growth and acne pimples and blemishes. Acne that is caused by hormones is typically more prevalent in women during natural cycles like menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.

Treatment for adult acne is very effective and there are many forms of treatment available. The best treatment happens to be the same treatment recommended most for teenage acne. Benzoyl peroxide kills acne much better than any other acne medication out there on the market today, including all prescription medications. For this product to be effective an acne sufferer must use enough of the product and use it according to the given instructions. If used correctly and in a large enough amount the acne will start to clear up. This method of treatment is also very simple and is not evasive in any way. Benzoyl peroxide does not have a negative effect on the skin first unlike other prescription acne treatments, meaning you will not see a worsening of the skin before you see the improvement. Skin does not build up a tolerance to this treatment so it will be effective for long-term use. If it works on acne the first time, it will always work.

There may be a genetic component involved meaning acne can run in families. Up to fifty percent of women whose acne continues beyond their teens show evidence of increased androgen levels, with raised testosterone and/or lowered sex hormone binding globulin, a protein found in the blood. Correction of these abnormal hormonal imbalances often improves symptoms, so you need to see to it that your doctor is prepared to measure these hormone levels and help you seek a treatment. Several different treatments are available over the counter to help mild to moderate symptoms and your pharmacist can advise on which product would suit you best.

It is important to realize that adult acne is more common than most think and adult sufferers are not alone, there is a large population of adult acne sufferers. If you are troubled by adult onset acne, first consult your doctor.  He or she may have a hormonal adult acne treatment that can help. If you have adult acne and it is severe or causes you pain do not hesitate to talk to your healthcare provider and discuss possible medical treatment of your acne.