Myths About Acne

When it comes to acne, there are a few myths out there that seem to logically be true because they are present when we have breakouts. However, scientific research has proved that these few catalyst are not contributors to acne. Although we will disagree with some of them, as many of you probably will as well.

• Acne Myth: Dirty Faces Cause Acne
• Acne Myth: Eating Certain Foods Cause Acne
• Acne Myth: Stress Produces Acne
• Acne Myth: People Who Wear Makeup Get More Acne
• Acne Myth: Tanning Will Get Rid of Acne

The Myth on Hygiene and Acne

The myth that acne is a result of bad hygiene has not been proven to be true. Dirty faces do not directly cause acne, however keeping your face clean by washing twice a day will clear up dead skin cells, makeup that clogs pores, and oils on the face. Washing your face too much can also be bad for your acne. Too much washing and scrubbing can cause skin to be irritant and cause acne to flare up. With this acne myth, it is a good idea to moderately wash your face twice a day, pat dry, and use cleansers if needed.

No Chocolate or Greasy Food: The Acne Diet Myth

Although it sometimes appears that acne seems to appear when we eat greasy foods like hamburgers and french fries or chocolates, the truth is food and diets really do not have a major role in the appearance of acne. Eating certain foods with vitamins can produce beautiful skin, but eating certain foods like greasy french fries or sweet, sinful chocolate really does not effect the amount of sebaceous oils produced and the clogging of pores. However if you are like a few of us, it just seems that every time we eat these foods, acne appears, thus we just tend to eat them in moderation anyway's for other health reasons.

The Stress Factor: Stress on the Acne Myth

It always seems to happen. We get stressed, things start to build up, and acne just starts to appear out of thin air. It never seems to fail that whenever we get stressed, acne usually appears. Now the question is, how can stress not be a cause of acne. Thus lies the myth. Stress does not cause acne. It does not produce an increase in sebaceous oils or cause pores to clogs. Stress may cause other medical conditions but it has no proven effect on increasing hormones that cause the growth of sebaceous glands. A possible connection to stress and acne lies in medication that maybe taken for stress that may cause acne. In this case it is the medication itself and not really stress causing acne. Thus acne does not have a direct correlation to the development of acne, it just sometimes seems like it.

Wearing Makeup: The Acne Makeup Myth

When it comes to cosmetics and acne, the key is to understand that makeup is not really a catalyst to the increase of production of sebaceous oils. The truth that exists in this myth is the fact that some types of makeup can break down and seep into the pores thus causing them to clog up, especially if you are prone to acne at the time. Even if oils are not over excessive, the clogging of the pores will cause acne. To prevent this, cosmetics should be nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic because these types do no clog the pores. Thus this myth actually has some truth to it for those who chose the wrong type of makeup.

Tanning Acne Away: A Big Acne Myth

For those who really believe that tanning can get rid of acne or prevent further acne breakouts, than you should definitely read this myth. Tanning can redden the skin and kind of camouflage the acne with the skin but does not get rid of it. Tanning does not prevent further acne breakouts either. The sun can actually cause the skin to be more dry and irritated. Sun tan lotions that are not noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic can also cause pores to clog, leading to acne breakouts. We have to also remember that exposure to the sun can lead to many diseases as well.

These are the major acne myths that many people have notice or thought about. To learn about the many proven causes of acne read the section on Causes of Acne to find out how to prevent acne breakouts.