3 Popular Myths About Acne

No one likes it, but almost everyone will experience it. For some people, it is a constant source
of embarrassment and even low-self esteem. What is it? Acne!

Acne pimples appear on the face, neck, and body and are usually small red bumps although for
some people these bumps can become cysts. Acne also tends to afflict everyone, to some
degree, regardless of race or gender. Usually appearing in adolescence, it is almost an
accepted rite of passage into adulthood because it is so common among teenagers. Acne is
caused by increased hormonal activity within the skin's oil glands or the sebaceous glands. The
extra secretions of oil, combined with dead skin cells and surface dirt, leads to clogged pores
and outbreaks of lesions, which we call pimples, blemishes or acne. Acne commonly occurs in
the neck, face, back, shoulders and chest because the body's sebaceous glands are more
densely distributed here.

So What Determines The Extent and Severity Of Each Case Of Acne?

There are many factors which contribute to acne. For example, there are hereditary
components which affect the severity of an individual's acne. Simply put, if you have a parent
who has suffered from a severe case of acne, the chances that you will also have severe acne
are increased. But there are also dietary and sociological factors that contribute to the
development of acne, which if changed or eliminated, may prevent an outbreak of severe acne.
Because of the many contributing factors, acne myths have proliferated over the years.

Acne Myth Number 1

Scrubbing and washing the face often will prevent acne. While dirt may contribute to the
formation of blackheads leading to pimples, many people believe that washing your face three
or more times a day, or hard scrubbing of the face and skin can prevent acne. Face washing
should be done gently, using a mild facial scrub or exfoliant only twice a day. Frequent washing
can actually irritate acne breakouts and it strips the skin of its natural oils. This not only makes
the skin dry, but can lead to the sebaceous glands increasing oil production to protect the skin
surface. Also, scrubbing can cause inflammations. Gentle cleansing, using the lightest possible
touch, is best for all-round skin protection.

Acne Myth Number 2

Fried food, overeating, and chocolate, causes acne to develop. Diets heavy in fat do have an
effect on the body's sebaceous glands, but science has shown that moderate consumption of
fried foods will not cause acne to get worse. In fact, some oils are necessary for the healthy
maintenance of the human body and the "acid mantle" that keeps skin moist and supple. In
addition, a seeming connection between certain foods such as chocolate and acne may be due
to food allergy rather than to the food itself. The notion that any particular food always causes
acne is quite false, though.

Acne Myth Number 3

Daily stress will cause breakouts of acne. Routine, daily stress is not considered to be a cause
of acne. Severe stress has been shown to have detrimental effects upon many of the body's
systems but its connection to acne breakouts has not been clearly established. More research
is needed in this area before anything conclusive can be formulated. One caveat, though,
stress medications may have a side-effect of contributing to acne, but if so, this should be
discussed with a physician as an alternative medication may not have this effect. In general
though, stress is a normal part of life and is not regarded as a major contributor to acne.