How many of you have ever struggled with acne? I have myself, and though not every teen has it, about 90 percent of teenagers are affected by acne. And with acne comes all the myths about what causes it and what aggravates it. So I have done some research, and I have brought you 10 common myths about acne and provided the facts.
1. The more I wash my face, the better my complexion will be.
This is not true. If you over-wash your face, and especially acne-prone spots, it will just irritate your face. Also, if you wash your face too much, it can trick your brain into thinking that your skin is too dry. This can lead to more oil production, and in turn, more breakouts.
2. I have to harshly scrub my face to really clean it.
This can go with myth #1 as well. If you have acne-prone skin, you shouldn't use a harsh facial scrub. It will only irritate your skin, which wouldn't help you at all.
3. Once I'm an adult, I won't have to worry about acne anymore.
Teens aren't the only ones to get acne. Adults get it too. Some women don't get acne until they are 25 to 30 years old, and about one in four adults (between 25 and 44 years old) has acne.
4. Blackheads are just pores that are clogged by dirt.
Having blackheads doesn't mean that your pores have dirt in them. When a pimple forms, dead skin cells act as a plug over a hair follicle. (A hair follicle is basically what surrounds the root of a hair.) If this plug does not stay below the surface of the skin, the pimple if a blackhead. The dark color of a blackhead is caused by a buildup up a something called melanin, which is the dark coloring in our skin.
5. Acne is an individual thing, and it has nothing to do with my heredity.
While acne is a different for everyone, your genes still play a big part. If your parents had mild acne, you are likely to have mild acne, too. This is not always true, but your genes can still affect your chances of getting acne.
6. Acne is caused by what I eat.
Many people believe that eating certain foods, such as chocolate or anything greasy, can cause acne. There is not a certain food that will cause acne, but you may find a specific food that aggravates your acne. If there is such a food for you, it would be best to avoid this food if possible. Drinking plenty of water will help you complexion look its best, however, it will not necessarily get rid of present blemishes you may have.
7. The longer I am in the sun, the clearer my complexion will be.
Sun exposure is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. It may help in small doses, but if you are out in the sun for long periods of time it may cause problems later.
8. If I pop my zits, they will go away.
You should never, ever pick or pop your pimples! It can lead to scarring and infection. It pushes the bacteria down further into your skin, which means the pimple could be there even longer than normal.
9. If you don't do anything about your acne, it will eventually go away.
While this might be true, there are things you can do to clear up your acne. There are many over the counter products you can try, or you can consider going to a dermatologist.
10. The stronger the medicine, the better it will work.
There are different percentages of Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid in certain products. You can find the percentage by looking on the back of the package at the active ingredient. If you are using a product with a lower percentage, and it's working fine, you should keep using the product. Switching to a product with a higher percentage will most likely not do anything different, except maybe cost you more money.
I hope that now you have a better idea on what is fact and what is fiction when dealing with acne.
Happy Washing!
Lckygrl13
Author's Note:Source: Proactive "Face The Facts: Your Guide to Clear, Beautiful Skin" booklet.
