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Separate The Myths From The Facts About Acne
As with most conditions there is a great deal of information distributed about acne and its causes and this information is a mixture of both fiction and fact. So, let us look at some of the things which are being said and see if we can work out the myth from the fact.
Food
First of all there is no direct link between eating such things as greasy cheeseburgers and chocolate or drinking excessive soft drinks and developing acne. It is true however that food plays a role in all the body's systems and so it does have a small part in whether acne is more or less likely.
For example, greasy foods do not directly translate into increased oil production within the sebaceous glands which adds to acne, but foods which do cause a rise in oil production would have an effect. However, iodized salt is the only food substance that has been demonstrated to have any substantial effect and it simply worsens existing acne but does not cause it.
Hygiene
The chances of getting a pimple increase when a pore becomes plugged and bacteria get trapped inside. What this means is that hygiene habits that tend to close the pores can play a role. But this effect is only small and the bacteria and dead cell skins which get trapped and cannot work their way out of the pore are only influenced to a minor degree by an absence of regular face washing.
However, after acne occurs then good skin hygiene is particularly important and mild cleansing twice each day with soap and water will help in treating acne and promoting healthy skin in general. Cleanliness is an excellent for several reasons but it is most helpful in treating acne because it provides a good surface for medications to work most efficiently.
Pimples are greatly influenced by excess skin oil (sebum) production which is triggered primarily by hormones and harsh cleansers applied roughly do not only clear away this excess oil but also weakens the skin's ability to cope with it.
Stress
Because stress tends to weaken the body's immune system and also influence its level of hormones it may be thought that stress would play a role in the onset of acne. However, there is no evidence that stress can cause acne, although there is some evidence to suggest that it could play a minor role after acne has developed.
One of the difficulties in assessing the role played by stress is that people who are suffering from chronic stress also also suffer from additional health problems which can complicate the picture. Remember too that we are talking here about clinical stress and not just the worries which we all have as part of the ups and downs of everyday living.
Medicines
A lot of individuals are tempted to increase the dosage of an over-the-counter medication believing that if a little medicine does a little good then a lot of medicine will do a lot of good. Unhappily, this is not the case and it is both a waste of medication and can actually harm the skin. You should always follow the instructions on any acne medication and if an over-the-counter medicine is not showing signs of working within a reasonable period of time then you should seek the guidance of your dermatologist.
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