No one wants to begin a new school year or first year of college with angry, inflamed skin. Here are some basic tips for daily skin care from cosmetic surgeon Matthew Galumbeck, medical director of Spa Phoenix, a medical/day spa in Virginia Beach, Va.:

¢ Establish a daily regimen. Every teen – male and female – should have a basic, easy-to-follow, three-step skincare program for every day. Cleanse to remove excess oil, dirt and makeup. Exfoliate to prepare the dermis for skincare. Moisturize to restore hydration.

¢ Use sunscreen. Sun damage in the teen years has lasting implications.

¢ Mom is right; you shouldn’t touch your face so much.

¢ Consistency is key. Every teen’s daily regimen should be unvarying in its tools: clean water, a fresh wash cloth, and non-irritating cleanser, exfoliator and moisturizer chosen for their skin condition and type.

¢ Escape the acne/makeup downward spiral. Teens get blemishes. Teens cover blemishes with makeup. The wrong makeup irritates skin, causing more breakouts, which elevates makeup use. Dr. Galumbeck suggests investing in mineral cosmetics, whose pure, anticomedogenic formulations cover without irritating.

¢ Look for the magic words that signify “good for you” on skincare/makeup labels: noncomedogenic, hypo or antiallergenic, and anti-irritant.

¢ Begin skincare early. Good choices and habits begun early yield healthy skin through the years.