Acne Articles

As they say, "The truth is out there!"

Well, fact is, so are the acne myths.

Public awareness about the truths of acne has been heavily clouded by common misconceptions, or myths.

By separating fact from fake, we can prevent these little seeds of misinformation from becoming a bigger skin problem.

Some of the most common myths are found below.

The more familiar you are with acne myths, the more you can do to fight it.

Acne Can Be Cured

Not yet...but don't lose hope. Acne can be prevented and controlled with continued daily use of the right acne products and remedies. And remember this: Even if your blemishes go away, your acne is not cured. It's important to be diligent about your treatment plan, even after your skin is clear.

Sun Exposure is good for Acne

The sun may work in the short-term to hasten the clearing of existing acne while reddening your skin, thus blending your skin tone with red acne marks. However, a sun tan is actually skin damage. Sun exposure causes irritation which can make acne worse. The sun is a short-term band-aid which will often bite back with more acne in the weeks following exposure.

Masturbation or sex causes acne

Quite the opposite! Masturbation or sex helps reduce your stress levels and thereby diminishing the effects of stress on acne.

It's what you eat

Another one of those acne myths. All too many studies have found no connection between diet and acne. Not chocolate, nor French fries, nor pizza. If you happen to be one of the few who actually are affected by a certain food, then don't eat it! As a general rule, however, your body will always respond better to a good diet and lots of water.

Poor Hygiene gives you acne

Acne is not caused by dirt or surface skin oils. So frequent washing of your face or body (more than twice a day) will not make your acne better. In fact, if you wash your skin hard and too often, you can make your acne worse.

The more stress you have, the more acne you get

The ordinary stress of day-to-day living is not an important factor in acne. Drugs that treat severe stress may have acne as a side effect, but stress itself is no big deal. Your time is better spent determining the right course of acne treatment rather than feeling guilt about stress.

It's just a cosmetic condition

While acne does affect a person's physical appearance, it can do more damage by affecting the way a person feels about himself/herself, resulting in low self-esteem or even depression. So even if it is "just acne", it should not be treated lightly.

Let it run its course, you'll grow out of it

One of the most dangerous acne myths around. Regardless of your age, untreated acne can leave permanent physical and emotional scars. By taking the right actions and preventing acne from occuring in the first place, there is no reason why someone has to endure acne or get acne scars.