Top 10 Myths About Acne

*Top 10 Myths About Acne*I have been treating acne in my patients for
over a decade.  And during that time many patients have asked me
questions related to myths that they have heard, that simply aren't
true.  Here I will address the top 10 acne myths that I have heard
over the years with detailed explanations of why they are false.

Acne Myth 1 - Washing your face more often will help clear up acne

Facial blemishes are not caused by dirt. Contrary to what you may have
seen in commercials, pores do not get blocked from the top down due to
"impurities". Rather, the walls of a pore stick together deep within
the skin, starting acne formation. Far from preventing acne, frequent
washing may actually irritate pores and cause them to become clogged.
A washcloth can add even more irritation. The best bet is to wash very
gently with bare hands, and only wash twice a day.

Acne Myth 2 - *Stress causes acne*

Stress may have an effect on hormones and theoretically can promote
acne. However, an effective acne treatment regimen is more powerful
than a bout of stress any day. Some psychiatric medications may have
acne as a side effect, but stress itself is no big deal. Your time is
better spent determining the right course of acne treatment rather
than feeling guilt about stress.

Acne Myth 3 -Masturbation or sex causes acne

This antiquated notion, originating as early as the 17th century to
dissuade young people from having premarital sex, is just plain wrong.
Don't believe the hype.

Acne Myth 4 -The sun will help get rid of acne

Although a tan may temporarily mask acne, the sun can make the skin
dry and irritated, leading to more breakouts in the future. In fact,
there's no link between sun exposure and acne prevention, but the
sun's rays can cause premature aging and skin cancer. Always protect
your skin by choosing a sunscreen of at least SPF (sun protection
factor) 15 that says noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic on the label,
which means it won't clog pores.

The sun also reddens your skin, blending your skin tone with red acne
marks. However, a sun burn is actually skin damage, and sun exposure
can cause irritation which will make acne worse. People will often
notice their skin breaking out as it heals from sun damage. The sun is
a short-term band-aid which will often bite back with more acne in the
weeks following exposure. However, some sun exposure is not evil. It
is actually important, and we get our vitamin D from the sun. Limiting
sun exposure on acne prone areas of your body is most likely prudent,
but some exposure from time to time is not only unavoidable, but is
perfectly okay.

Acne Myth 5 -Diet and acne are related

The bottom line is we need more research. We do know that people in
some indigenous societies do not experience acne at all. This is in
contrast to the widespread presence of acne throughout all modern
society. It leaves us to question whether the indigenous people's diet
contributes to their acne-free skin. Discovering a dietary way of
preventing acne may be a future reality.

Although eating too many sugary, high-fat foods is never a good idea,
studies show that no specific food has been proven to cause acne.
Every individual is different, though. Some people notice their
breakouts are worse after eating certain foods — and these foods are
different depending on the person. For example, some people may notice
breakouts after eating chocolate, while others are fine with chocolate
but notice they get breakouts after drinking too much coffee. If
that's the case for you, it can help to cut back on that food and see
if it makes a difference.

Acne Myth 6 -*Popping pimples will help them go away faster*

Popping a pimple may make it seem less noticeable temporarily, but
popping can cause it to stay around longer. By squeezing pimples and
zits, you can actually push bacteria, dead skin cells, and
oil further into the skin, causing more swelling and redness — and
sometimes causing a red or brown mark or scar to form. Sometimes marks
can last for many months and true scars (dents and pits) will last
forever.

Acne Myth 7 -*Don't wear makeup if you want clear skin.*

As long as you choose cosmetics that are nonacnegenic or
noncomedogenic, they shouldn't cause breakouts. In fact, some
concealers now contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which help
to fight acne. You can also try tinted benzoyl peroxide creams that
hide pimples while helping treat them.

If you've had moderate to severe acne, though, talk to your doctor or
dermatologist about the best cosmetics to use — he or she may
recommend avoiding cosmetics altogether or only using certain brands
so you're acne isn't aggravated.

And even if a product is labeled nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic, you
should stop using it and talk to your doctor if you notice that it's
irritating your skin or seems to cause breakouts.

Acne Myth 8 - *If you keep getting breakouts, it helps to use more
acne medication until the breakouts stop.*

Because acne medication contains drying agents like benzoyl peroxide
and salicylic acid, using too much medication may cause overdrying,
leading to irritation and more blemishes.

If over-the-counter acne medication doesn't seem to work on your acne,
it's a good idea to talk to your doctor or dermatologist. Also, if
you're taking a prescription acne medication, make sure you follow
your doctor's instructions — some medications may take up to 8 weeks
to make a significant difference.

Acne Myth 9 - *Acne is just a cosmetic disease.*

Yes, acne does affect the way people look and is not otherwise a
serious threat to a person's physical health. However, acne can
result in permanent physical scars-plus, acne itself as well as its
scars can affect the way people feel about themselves to the point of
affecting their lives.

Acne Myth 10 - *You just have to let acne run its course*

The truth is, acne can be cleared up. If the acne products you have
tried haven't worked, consider seeing a dermatologist. With the
products available today, there is no reason why someone has to endure
acne or get acne scars.

For more information on acne, including: medication reviews and skin
care tips, click here, or visit: www.skincarehelp.me.

_By: *Justin Chelf*_

*About the Author:*

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