Acne Myths Exposed

As with many conditions there is a great deal of information out there about acne and what causes it and that information tends to be a mixture of both fact and fiction. Accordingly, let us take a look at a few of the things which are being circulated and see if we can sort out the fiction from the fact.DietFirst of all there is no direct connection between eating greasy cheeseburgers and chocolate or drinking too many soft drinks and getting spots. It is true however that diet plays an important role in the way the body functions and so it does have a small role to play in whether acne is more or less likely.For instance, greasy foods do not directly convert into rising oil production in the sebaceous glands which contributes to acne, although foods which do cause a rise in oil production would of course have an effect. However, iodized salt is as yet the only food which has been shown to have any substantial effect and it just worsens acne and does not cause it.CleanlinessThe odds of getting an acne spot increase when a pore becomes plugged and bacteria get trapped inside. This means that hygiene habits which work to close the pores can play a role. However this effect is only minimal and the bacteria and dead cell skins which get trapped and cannot make their way out of the pore to the surface are only influenced to a small degree by an absence of regular face washing.However, once acne occurs good skin hygiene is especially important and mild cleansing two times a day with soap and water will help in treating acne and encouraging healthy skin in general. Good hygiene is an excellent for a number of reasons although it helps most in treating acne by providing a good surface allowing medications to do their work most effectively.Acne is strongly influenced by excess sebum (skin oil) production which is triggered chiefly by hormones and abrasive cleansers that are applied roughly do not merely clear away this excess oil but also weakens the the ability of the skin to cope with it.StressBecause stress has a tendency to weaken the body's immune system and also influence its level of hormones it could be thought that stress would play a part in the onset of acne. However, there is no evidence that stress leads to acne, although there is some evidence to show that it might play a small role after acne has arrived.One of the problems in assessing the role of stress is that people who suffer from chronic stress also also suffer from additional health problems which complicate the picture. Bear in mind too that here we are talking about clinical stress and not simply the worries which we all have as part of the trials and tribulations of day to day living.MedicinesMany us are tempted to raise the dosage of an over-the-counter medication in the belief that if a little medicine can do a bit of good a lot will do a lot of good. Regrettably, this is not so and it both wastes medication and could actually harm the skin. Always stick to the instructions on any medication and if any medication does not show signs of working within two or three weeks then you should seek the guidance of your dermatologist.