Whether we get our advice from friends, family or Google, the subject of acne is full of myths that are often mistaken for actual facts by both children as well as adults. Here we will bust several of the most common myths about acne and discuss their actual facts.
Popping pimples will make your acne go away faster.
False – More often than not, trying to pop your pimples only serves to aggravate your skin which leads to further inflammation and a longer healing time. The best thing to do is to keep your hands off your face because sometimes you can send the trapped bacteria in a pimple deeper into your skin which could result in an acne cyst that may take months to heal and can easily lead to scarring.
Washing your face a lot means you won’t get acne.
False – Although it is true that most people on an acne regimen wash their face twice a day, washing your face too much can disrupt your natural balance of oil. A face that is stripped of a natural level of sebum gets dry and easily irritated which can result in your pores clogging.
If someone has acne they are dirty.
False – Anybody can get acne no matter how clean they are. In fact, sometimes people get acne when they wash themselves too much. This is because your natural skin oil gets washed off so often that your body might produce a lot more than it should to compensate. This extra oil production raises the chances of your pores clogging which could result in acne.
Acne and diet are not related.
False – Disputed for decades, is it now conclusive that diet and acne can definitely be related. While not every kind of acne is only caused by eating certain food, nearly every case of acne could be improved to some degree if they eat certain types of meat, fruits and vegetables. This is because the nutrients found within these particular foods contribute to balancing your hormones, healing your skin and preventing infections.
You can only get acne on your face.
False – Although facial acne is quite common, body and scalp acne can occur as well. The triggers behind these types of acne are sometimes the same as facial acne such as hormones and diet, however, they might also be caused or aggravated by things like pomade and laundry detergent.
Acne always scars.
False – Most acne does not scar your face although it can leave a red mark for several weeks after it is gone. However, if you try to pop your pimples, pick as your scabs or have more severe acne such as acne cysts, you have a greater risk of scarring. Because of this, do not touch your acne and consult a dermatologist if you have cystic acne.
Tanning prevents acne.
False – It’s true that if your skin is darker it makes the red inflammation sometimes caused by acne become less noticeable, but sun exposure has never been proven to prevent acne from happening in the first place. As you probably already know, too much sun can be harmful to your skin by causing burning and peeling and even a moderate amount of exposure can accelerate your skin shedding process which can clog pores and turn them into pimples.