Acne
There are many myths about acne, which often create added anxiety for the sufferer. Certain practices may aggravate the acne or even cause more complications, such as scarring and pigmentation.
Food
To date, there is no scientific evidence that diet plays an important role in causing acne; rigid food restriction is unnecessary. For general health benefits, a well-balanced diet rich in fiber and low in fats, salt, and refined sugar is recommended.
Squeezing pimples helps unblock pores and aids healing
This unhealthy practice often results in greater inflammation and damage to the skin, instead of faster healing. Scars tend to be deeper, and post-acne pigmentation, pigmentation tends to be darker and more prolonged.
Poor skin hygiene causes acne
Acne is not caused by poor skin hygiene, and certainly cannot be “washed away”. This myth often leads to vigorous and excessive cleansing of the face with harsh medicated soaps or abrasive skin cleansers, which results in additional irritation, redness, and soreness of the skin. Gentle cleansing two to three times each day with a mild soap is recommended. This will help remove excessive oil (sebum) on the surface of the skin without causing unwanted irritation.
All makeup should be avoided
Looking presentable is an important part of personal grooming, which should also be very much a part of life for people with acne. It is useful, however, to avoid oil-based make-up, especially occlusive foundations. Loose powder can be used without major problems. When shopping for skincare products or cosmetics, look out for well-established, reputable brands that have tested their products extensively and have labeled them to be anon-comedogenic or specially formulated for oily skin.
Sun exposure makes acne worse
There is no medical evidence to suggest that people with acne should stay away from the sun. However, excessive sun exposure may cause more severe post-acne pigmentation. Judicious use of a non-oily sunscreen (at least SPF 15) is recommended to minimize sun-related skin problems.
Facial treatments by beauticians help clear acne
Simple procedures that involve cleansing and extraction of blackheads (open comedones) are usually safe. However, indiscriminate squeezing of inflamed acne lesions or pimples must be avoided. Also, the skills of beauticians or aestheticians in different salons vary tremendously. Facial treatments are generally not essential in the overall treatment of acne.
Oil blotters are bad for acne
There is no good evidence to suggest that oil blotters make acne worse or that they cause more oil to be produced. The effect of removing excess oil from the skin with blotting paper is temporary; it reduces the shine caused by the excess oil on the surface of the skin.
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Antibiotics should be avoided as they are bad for the body
Oral antibiotics may be necessary to control the inflammation of severe acne that fails to respond adequately to topical treatment. They have proven effective, and have been used with good safety records for periods of more than 30 years without any long-term harm to the body. Your doctor will closely monitor your progress while you are on oral antibiotics and will stop treatment once the inflammatory lesions are cleared. There is no need to be on “maintenance” oral antibiotics for fear of relapses.
Acne Myths And Facts
acne
