There are plenty of misconceptions out there regarding acne causes and development. Understanding acne means sorting through fact and fiction.
Many of the beliefs we hold about the causes of acne are actually myths. Let’s take a look and uncover the truth about what really causes acne and what doesn’t.
Acne [Pimples] is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, or what we commonly call the hair follicle or pore.
Excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria become trapped within the follicle, creating an impaction. If the follicle wall ruptures, inflammation occurs and a pimple is created.
1) Diet causes acne
Contrary to popular believe, no proof has been found that acne is caused by a diet. Chocolate causing acne is the most common misconception there is about acne. Several scientific studies have been performed on this subject, but none of them could confirm this theory. Other food like sugar oil, milk and seafood are not known to cause acne.
2) Popping pimples helps.
Popping pimples will not help you to get rid of them. They might go away for a few hours, but will always come back worse. If you pop a pimple you are opening the wound so bacteria and dirt can get in to cause redness and infections.
3) Washing your face helps fights acne.
Washing your face will get your face clean of dirt, but it will also dry out and irritate your skin. So wash your face at most twice a day with a gentle soap and do not rub it clean or dry to avoid irritating the skin.
4) Only teenagers have acne.
Most teenagers have acne and in most cases these problems will clear up when they reach their 20s, but some people still have acne problems when they are 30 or 40.
5) The sun will clear your acne.
The sun might help clear your acne on the short term, because it will dry the skin. But it is not a good remedy for acne on the long run. Usually your acne will come back after a while and probably will be worse. Best way is to protect your skin by using sunscreen.
6) Makeup gets you acne.
Choose makeup that is non-acnegenic or non-comedogenic, so they won’t clog your pores. For people with severe acne, best is not to use makeup at all. If you’re not sure about what cosmetics to use consult your dermatologist or doctor.
7) You can stop medication ones your acne is cleared.
Don’t stop your medication without consulting your doctor or dermatologist. If you stop your medication to soon, your acne might come back.
 Stress causes acne.
Acne may cause stress, but not the other way around. Some stress medication may cause acne as a side effect. If you’re not sure if your drug gives you acne, consult your doctor.
9) Acne can be cured.
No cure for acne has been found yet, but there are a lot of treatments available for reducing acne and acne scarring.
10) You can’t help acne scarring.
The best way to prevent acne scarring is to prevent acne itself. If your treat your acne early and for as long as it takes, you can minimize scarring.
Olalekan Ajimoti – Blogger, Content Writer, and Digital Marketer helping brands and retailers build 8-figure e-commerce since 2016.
As a corporate trainer, brand communications expert, and brand consultant, I help people start, stay and grow in business leveraging digital skills and traditional expertise.
