WEDNESDAY, June 5, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- Can you guess two major causes of anxiety among high school students? They're as different as cats and dogs, oil and water.
They are: Acne and the high cost of college. These two diverse items score at the top of many a teen's anxiety meter.
The American Counseling Association (ACA) wants to help with both of those concerns. The ACA will award grants of $1,000 each to 15 high school seniors planning to pursue a higher education who submit a 100-to-500-word essay on how acne has affected them or a friend.
It's part of Healthy Skin, Healthy Outlook 2002, the ACA's ongoing campaign to help teens and their parents cope with the impact of acne on teen self-esteem. Entries will be narrowed to the top 50 and a final drawing for the 15 winners will be held at the end of the summer.
To get an application, go to the ACA Web site. Applications can be sent to: Healthy Skin, Healthy Outlook, P.O. Box 192, Bedminster, N.J., 07921-0192. The deadline for entering is June 30. Entries will be judged by a panel of school counselors who are members of the ACA.
Acne is the most commonly diagnosed skin disorder in the United States. By their mid-teens, about 40 percent of adolescents have acne severe enough to require medical treatment by a doctor.
More information
The American Academy of Dermatology has an excellent compilation of material about teenage acne, and the American Psychological Association offers some good advice on handling various types of stress.
