The Best Acne Information
Acne - Common Myths and
Perceptions
Acne
is a very common cause of anxiety and unhappiness amongst teenagers,
and whilst it is true that acne is known as a teenage condition, it is
not uncommon for it to persist into adulthood. Acne is the cause of
many issues for both teenagers and adults, however there are effective
treatments.
To acknowledge the causes of acne is to go a long way towards curing it. However, equally important is the recognition of what doesn't cause acne. Over the years numerous myths have passed into modern folklore, most of which are totally incorrect. So the purpose of this article is to debunk some of those myths.
A common myth is that exposure to sunlight, and aquiring a nice tan will be good for your acne and help clear it up. Not true. Yes, a tan may well look good and might mask a lot of the redness associated with acne. However, it won't help one little bit to clear it up, and it won't help prevent it either. The risks involved in getting a tan, using the sun, or indeed a tanning bed, skin damage, cancer, etc. far outweigh any perceived benefit.
Another commonly held belief is that eating too many fried foods, and foods with high sugar content, chocolate etc. give you a higher risk of acne. In fact many scientific studies have been made of this very subject. All have concluded that diet plays no part whatsoever in your likelihood of getting acne. However, to be fair, it has fairly recently been found that certain diets may indeed help.
I'm sure most sufferers of acne have been told by well meaning family and friends to wash more. The reasoning being this will get rid of excess oils as well as any airborne grime blocking the pores, and you will have less problems with acne.
Untrue again. Yes, the washing will indeed remove grime and oil from the skin, but essential oils will also be removed, causing your skin to become dry and irritated. Of course this will not actually aggravate acne, but it will prevent it from healing. By not washing your face too often you will allow your natural oils to do their job. Which is to keep the skin supple and by exuding at the proper rate remove debris and grime that do cause acne.
Oh, here's a good one. Squeezing your zits to get rid of the pus will let them clear up more quickly. I'm sure there isn't a teenage acne sufferer anywhere that hasn't resorted to this. Wrong, wrong, wrong, don't ever do it, however tempting. Initially it may look a bit better, but you are likely to drive the bacteria deeper into your skin, irritating the area, and it will take longer to heal. And please don't use these "patented" blackhead removers and suchlike. They have been known to leave permanent scars.
Yet another myth is you musn't shave or wear make-up (O.K. you are unlikely to do both, you know what I mean) because it will irritate the skin and your acne won't clear up. Shaving may possibly be uncomfortable but it will not affect your acne, it's certainly preferable to squeezing. As for make-up there are many good products available these days which are designed for acne sufferers and will not clog the pores. Some products even include benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which will help your acne.
That's covered just a few of the common myths about acne. There are lots more. There are several causes of acne, and it is important to recognise just what it causing your acne before deciding how to treat it. As mentioned before, there are nowadays lots of good, effective treatments. But a good bet is to consult a decent dermatologist before embarking upon any course of treatment.
Chris Haycock
To acknowledge the causes of acne is to go a long way towards curing it. However, equally important is the recognition of what doesn't cause acne. Over the years numerous myths have passed into modern folklore, most of which are totally incorrect. So the purpose of this article is to debunk some of those myths.
A common myth is that exposure to sunlight, and aquiring a nice tan will be good for your acne and help clear it up. Not true. Yes, a tan may well look good and might mask a lot of the redness associated with acne. However, it won't help one little bit to clear it up, and it won't help prevent it either. The risks involved in getting a tan, using the sun, or indeed a tanning bed, skin damage, cancer, etc. far outweigh any perceived benefit.
Another commonly held belief is that eating too many fried foods, and foods with high sugar content, chocolate etc. give you a higher risk of acne. In fact many scientific studies have been made of this very subject. All have concluded that diet plays no part whatsoever in your likelihood of getting acne. However, to be fair, it has fairly recently been found that certain diets may indeed help.
I'm sure most sufferers of acne have been told by well meaning family and friends to wash more. The reasoning being this will get rid of excess oils as well as any airborne grime blocking the pores, and you will have less problems with acne.
Untrue again. Yes, the washing will indeed remove grime and oil from the skin, but essential oils will also be removed, causing your skin to become dry and irritated. Of course this will not actually aggravate acne, but it will prevent it from healing. By not washing your face too often you will allow your natural oils to do their job. Which is to keep the skin supple and by exuding at the proper rate remove debris and grime that do cause acne.
Oh, here's a good one. Squeezing your zits to get rid of the pus will let them clear up more quickly. I'm sure there isn't a teenage acne sufferer anywhere that hasn't resorted to this. Wrong, wrong, wrong, don't ever do it, however tempting. Initially it may look a bit better, but you are likely to drive the bacteria deeper into your skin, irritating the area, and it will take longer to heal. And please don't use these "patented" blackhead removers and suchlike. They have been known to leave permanent scars.
Yet another myth is you musn't shave or wear make-up (O.K. you are unlikely to do both, you know what I mean) because it will irritate the skin and your acne won't clear up. Shaving may possibly be uncomfortable but it will not affect your acne, it's certainly preferable to squeezing. As for make-up there are many good products available these days which are designed for acne sufferers and will not clog the pores. Some products even include benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which will help your acne.
That's covered just a few of the common myths about acne. There are lots more. There are several causes of acne, and it is important to recognise just what it causing your acne before deciding how to treat it. As mentioned before, there are nowadays lots of good, effective treatments. But a good bet is to consult a decent dermatologist before embarking upon any course of treatment.
Chris Haycock
