Acne Myths
Acne is one medical problem, which has a number of myths associated with it. There are a lot of misconceptions among people regarding acne. Here, we try to bust some of the age old myths to help us deal with one of the most common skin problems; acne.
One of the most common myths associated with acne is that acne is caused by poor hygiene. Researchers have an opposite view; some prominent dermatologists have found that continuous washing of the face may actually make the acne worse. Scrubbing and washing may irritate the skin further. The best way to treat acne prone skin is to gently wash the face twice a day with a mild preferably antibacterial soap and pat dry it.
Dermatologists suggest that children should not use hard exfoliaters, which irritates the acne. They also suggest that the usage of high concentration toners should be avoided as much as possible as it irritates the skin.
Another common perception is that your diet affects the severity of acne. There is a general belief that excessive chocolates and fatty foods can make your acne worse. Researchers say that acne has no relevance with the food. Though having a healthy diet is always good for the skin but it is not proportional to the acne.
Acne is caused by stress. This myth is believed by a large number of acne sufferers. Acne is not always caused by stress. There are times that the stress level in an individual needs to be treated by a doctor and medicines have to be prescribed. These medicines might have an effect on the acne because of its medical composition.
Your acne will go in a week. This is a major misconception among people that after the acne completes it cycle it will go off by itself. If the acne products do not work then one might go and see a dermatologist.
The tan will clear the skin of acne. There is no proof that a tan will help you in getting a clearer skin. It is an illusion that the acne is gone. The tan from the sun makes the skin darker, hence hiding the acne temporarily. Excessive tanning on the other hand may aggravate the acne further.
Another common myth is that if you burst your pimple it will go away faster. There has been a lot of proof time and again that popping a pimple will take longer for it to heal. When a pimple is popped the bacteria goes deeper in the skin making it worse.
Makeup makes the acne worse. Any individual who gets acne on the skin can always use cosmetics. There is just one thing that needs to be kept in mind. The cosmetic products should have noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic in its composition. These products are specially formulated for acne prone skin and prevent further breakouts.
There is a myth that masturbation and sex causes acne. The researchers say that this myth was started during the medieval time to discourage the young people to use premarital sex. There is no proof for the myth whatsoever.
There are a lot of people who believe that if the acne does not go then the acne medication dosage should be increased. This is not at all true. The over the counter drugs can have a side effect on your skin. Most of the acne products contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which if used in excess can cause skin irritation and more blemishes. The prescription medicines have an incubation time of six to eight weeks.
A lot of myths have been associated with acne. Here we have tried to present some of the facts. One has to remember that all acne is not of the same nature. Every acne has to be treated differently. Adult acne has to be treated differently than teen acne. Teen acne mostly goes but itself but adult acne has to follow a regime everyday.
