10 Most Common Acne Myths You Should Ignore

There are many myths that have grown up over the years about acne. Here we look at just a few of the most common acne myths. Your Diet Causes Acne. It is often said that eating chocolate and high fat foods such as hamburgers, or drinking high sugar soda drinks can all cause acne. There is no truth in this and indeed there are no foods which are known to cause acne. This said, food can play a part in helping to clear up acne once it does arrive. Food plays a vital role in your general health and that includes the health of your skin. So, eating a well balance, low-fat diet will not only help in terms of controlling such things as your weight, blood pressure and other things, but it will also help to keep your skin healthy and aid the process of treating acne. Poor Hygiene Causes Acne. Because acne arises when the pores of the skin become blocked, allowing a build-up of skin oil and dead skin cells which provides the breeding ground for acne bacteria, poor hygiene does play a minor role in the development of acne. However, the real problem is that it is often believed that the answer to this is regular and vigorous washing and this is a myth. In fact, vigorous washing far from helping to cure acne will actually cause it spread and can very easily take a mild case of acne and turn it into a severe outbreak. The secret therefore once acne appears is to wash the affected area twice a day with a mild cleanser to clear away excess oil but otherwise to simply promote the natural health of the skin so that it can itself fight the condition. Stress Causes Acne. There is no evidence at to support the proposition that stress can cause acne. This said, people who suffer from clinical, severe and chronic stress are often found to be suffering from other medical condition and one or more of these may have an effect on acne. Simple day-to-day stress as most of us would describe it does not however lead to acne. High Dose Acne Medication Can Knock The Problem On The Head Quickly. Acne medication often comes in varying strengths and people tend to start with the highest dose in the belief that it will cure the problem faster than the same medication used in a lower dose. Not only is this a myth but it is also a dangerous myth as using acne medication at too high a dosage can make the problem worse rather than better. It is often difficult to find the best acne medicine and you may have to try two or three before you find the medicine which works best for you. In all cases however you should always start with the lowest strength medicine and work your way up only if it is not working and you are not suffering any undue side-effects, including that of the medicine making the condition worse rather than better.