Acne Myths Exposed

As is the case with many conditions there is a lot of information available about acne and its causes and that information tends to be a mix of both fiction and fact. Accordingly, let us take a look at some of the things that are being said and see if we can separate the fiction from the fact.

Diet

There is no direct link between eating things like greasy cheeseburgers and chocolate or drinking excessive soft drinks and developing acne. It is true however that what we eat plays a role in all the body's systems and so it does have a small role to play in whether acne is less or more likely.

For instance, greasy foods do not directly translate into increased oil production from the sebaceous glands which contributes to acne, although foods that do contribute to an increase in oil production would have an effect. However, iodized salt is as yet the only food substance which has been shown to have any measurable effect and it only worsens acne but does not cause it.

Cleanliness

The chances of getting an acne spot rise when a pore becomes plugged and bacteria are trapped inside. This means that hygiene habits which work to close the pores can play a role. But this effect is only very small and the bacteria and dead cell skins which get trapped and cannot work their way out of the pore to the surface are influenced only to a small degree by an absence of regular face washing.

Nonetheless, after acne arrives good skin care is especially important and mild cleansing twice a day with soap and water helps in treating acne and promoting healthy skin in general. Cleanliness is an excellent for several reasons but it helps most in treating acne because it provides a good surface for medications to work most effectively.

Acne spots are strongly influenced by excess production of sebum (skin oil) that is triggered in the main by hormones and abrasive cleansers applied roughly do not merely clear away any excess oil but also damages the skin's ability to deal with it.

Stress

Because stress has a tendency to weaken the body's immune system and influence its level of hormones it may be thought that stress should play a part in the onset of acne. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that stress causes acne, although there is evidence to show that it could play a small role after acne has developed.

One of the problems in assessing the role played by stress is that people who suffer from chronic stress normally also suffer from other health problems which can complicate the picture. Remember also that here we are talking about clinical stress and not just the worries that we all experience as part of the ups and downs of day to day life.

Medicines

Many people are tempted to raise the dosage of over-the-counter medications believing that if a little medication can do a little bit of good a lot of medication will do a lot of good. Unfortunately, this is not the case and it both wastes medication and might actually damage the skin. You should always follow the instructions on any acne medication and if an over-the-counter medication does not show signs of working within two or three weeks then it is a good idea to seek the guidance of your dermatologist.