Acne Myths

Like myths about many things in life there are also a lot of acne myths. It is common for a really smart “philosopher” makes a new discovery and begins to inform people of his/her discovery. Word-of-mouth communication takes over and like the game where you whisper a phrase from person to to the next person you often get a completely different meaning after it is told from one person to the next.

Some of the acne myths are:

“Washing Your Face Frequently Will Clear up Acne”

 scrub acneDirt or grime on the skin is not a cause of acne despite popular belief. This is the first most common myth about acne. In all actuality, pores are not clogged from top to bottom. The real problem lays deep within skin. Impurities are to blame as the walls of a pore stick together within in the skin creating a formation. Since acne is not a surface problem, excessive washing will only irritate and even create blockage of the pores. It is best to gently wash your face only twice a day with only your bare hands. Washed clothes could irritate people’s skin because of the chemicals in the detergent. Always consider detergents without fragrances and that are hypo-allergenic.

“Stresses Causes Acne”

In theory, stress could create a hormonal imbalance that could possibly promote acne, yet, a good acne regimen is more powerful to control acne flares than any burst of stress. Therefore, stress is not something that should cause anyone anxiety. Make sure you maintain an acne regimen that works for your skin type.

“Sex and Acne don’t Mix”

This myth has been going around as early as the seventeenth century to keep youthful adults from having premarital interactions with one another. Sex and/or masturbation do not worsen acne. There is not scientific evidence to support this acne myth.

“The Sun Will Help Prevent Acne”

There is no scientific evidence that the sun has any positive effects on acne. Having tanned skin may temporarily hide acne, but sitting in the sun can cause further and more extensive acne outbreaks not to mention premature aging like wrinkles and age spots on the skin and possible skin cancer. It is wise to use some type of skin protection with a minimum SPF rating of 15. It is essential to read all product labels before purchasing sun blocks and only use noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic because these products will not contribute to plugging your pores.

“Squeeze Pimples to Make Them Heal Faster”

 squeeze pimplesSqueezing pimples is actually one of the worse ideas out there. Since each pimple consists of bacteria, dead skin cells and oil; squeezing them will force this infectious trio further into the skin prolonging the healing time. In some cases acne spreads due to squeezing pimples and having the pus spread on the skin. Permanent scaring of the skin is another good reason to not squeeze pimples whether they are whiteheads, blackheads or nasty red bumps.

All these acne myths need to be dispelled in order to have a more fulfilling life.



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