The Mythology of Acne
Acne is one of the most visible skin problems teens and young adults face. It can cause embarrassment, poor self image and even cause depression to deepen in some cases. Adding to that are the common myths about what causes acne.
This skin condition is caused by inflammation and/or infection of skin pores. Dead skin and other substances can block and irritate the pore, making it swell up. That’s the red bumps. Pimples or black heads are infections, as you can see by the white that may be in the center. This white bit is actually pus, indicating an infection is present.
When dealing with acne, it’s important that you know fact from fiction. Not everything you may have been told about the condition is accurate. Here are a few examples:
1) Acne is contagious. Not true. The theory for this myth is that it might prevent teen don’t want to catch it, right?
2) What you eat causes outbreaks: No, not unless it gets into the pores and blocks them. Fat, sugar and chocolate are not causes of this problem. They can cause other difficulties such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc., but they aren’t going to cause an outbreak.
3) Let it run its course: This is not necessary, as you may be able to tell by the large number of products to help reduce the impact it has on your life. In some cases, that’s a bad idea. If none of the over the counter products help, talk to your doctor. You may be referred to a dermatologist, who can help you with the problem.
4) Make up causes acne. That is unlikely, especially if you use the right make up. Oil free formulas are better than oil based products. Some of them actually have over the counter topical remedies in them. You may want to ask a professional which products will be best for you.
5) Oily skin causes breakouts: Just as with food, skin oil does not cause a pimple to form. That doesn’t mean you can skip washing your face, but excess oil won’t be a problem by itself.
6) It’s simply poor hygiene: Washing your face more than twice a day could actually cause more problems than it solves. Poor hygiene is not at fault.
7) Toothpaste on a zit will get rid of it overnight: There are those that say it works, but there is no scientific evidence as yet. That may be because no one has studied it. If you’re going to try it, don’t use a gel, use the old fashioned white paste.
If you have used everything from alternative remedies to strong over the counter preparations, speak to your doctor. Make sure to mention any medical conditions you have, and any supplements or medications you may be using. This will help prevent drug/herb interactions.