Acne Myths - Acne Misconceptions Dispelled

What is acne? To define, it is a dermatological term that encompasses clogged pores, lumps and pimples that normally occur on various parts of the human body, such as the face, chest, upper arms and back. Acne shows up in many different varieties. The majority of them are not considered to be threatening to the life of the diseased, but the more severe cases can prove to be disfiguring.

It is attempted, here, to inspect and dispel the misinformation contained in a few of the most common myths about acne.

Myth 1: Acne occurs to teenagers only. Wrong. Although acne mostly affects teenagers, specifically those between the ages 12 and 17, it is, in fact, not limited to any age group. Acne can even badly affect adults in their forties. It is worth noting here that, although acne afflicts boys and girls alike, young men tend to have long-term and severe acne. On the other hand, women are more likely to have intermittent occurrence of acne due to hormonal changes.

Myth 2: Poor hygiene is a direct cause of acne. Washing and cleaning affected areas does not normally help cure acne. In fact, washing and scrubbing harshly and too frequently can irritate the skin in the diseased spots and worsen the case. However, proper and wise hygiene can really help lessen the effects. Washing the face twice to three times a day with a mild soap is recommended, patting it dry afterwards, rather than scrubbing it dry. This is most effective if combined with the use of acne treatment products.

Myth 3: Diet is a direct cause of acne. Not true. Scientists have conducted extensive scientific research, in search of possible correlations between man’s diet and the breakout of acne. Nothing conclusive has ever been found. As witnessed, however, the effect of diet is different with different people. If some sort of food or drink is suspected to have a direct effect on acne, it is recommended to experiment with cutting back and then inspect the result.

Myth 4: Acne will go away by itself. Again, this is generally untrue. It is possible to investigate the myriad of acne treatment products available today to see what works best, although, in some cases, it is best to consult a dermatologist.

Myth 5: Popping zits will clear up acne faster. On the contrary, this act can prolong and aggravate the situation and slow down the process of healing. Popping the whitehead, actually, pushes the bacteria deeper into the skin and can cause more infection to develop, eventually, increasing the possibility of scarring.

Myth 6: Tanning dismisses acne. People can be led to believe this. Truth be told, however, the opposite is true. The reason people tend to believe that tanning is useful in this case is that sunbathing may mask or cover the acne, giving an impression of an overall improved complexion. In reality, the sun dries the skin and irritates it, leading to more future breakouts.

The above-discussed myths have been included to serve as an introduction to the subject of acne and the list is by no means exhaustive. Their inclusion was for the sole purpose of educating the reader on the subject and perhaps arouse their curiosity to do some investigation in order to filter out facts from myths.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to

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