There’s no easy way to say it, so the skinny on this one is that there is a lot of misleading and downright wrong information out there about acne. Fortunately, years of scientific research have dispelled many of these ‘acne myths’ and we now have a fairly significant idea of what does and does not cause acne. Below we’ll take a look at some of the biggest acne myths and find out which ones are “True or False Acne Myths.”
Acne Myth #1: Eating certain foods causes acne
Will little scientific proof; this one has been around a long time. Although some individuals do experience acne outbreaks when they eat specific foods, there is no universal law that applies to everyone. Eating things like pizza, chocolate, nuts, and greasy foods will in most instances not increase your acne.
Acne Myth #2: Having dirty skin will increase your acne
Clean skin does have many benefits, and dirty skin does not necessarily cause acne. Formed under the surface of the skin, acne is due to the build-up of sebum and dead skin cells that clogs your pores. Although dirt may contribute to the clogging of pores, it is not the main cause of your acne.
Acne Myth #3: Continued washing of your skin will clear up acne
Having clean skin does help, but it’s not the only answer to preventing acne. Excessive and improper cleaning can damage your skins surface making matters worse. Stripping your skin of natural oils may lead to future acne breakouts.
Acne Myth #4: Adults are immune to acne
While true that 9 out of 10 teenagers experience acne, it‘s also true that 1 in 4 adults will at some time in their life suffer from acne as well. The acne hormone connection is well known, which explains why teenagers have such a high incidence of acne. However, adults also go through hormonal changes at various times in their lives and are therefore not immune to acne attacks either.
Acne Myth #5: Acne is caused by stress
Although there is scientific evidence showing that stress is not a large factor in the cause of acne, it is known that stress does tend to throw the bodies natural balances out of whack. Reducing stress may not reduce your acne, but reducing stress will minimize damage to your overall health and that’s a positive in and of itself.
Acne Myth # 6: There’s a cure for Acne
Acne is not a disease that can be permanently cured, although there are many ways to control and prevent major acne outbreaks. Proper skin care and nutrition go along way towards reducing acne, but sebum and dead skin cells will always exist, as will clogged pores and acne.
