By Jillian Cener

Acne is something nearly everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives.  For some, it’s just a nuisance that makes its appearance during those awkward adolescent years.  For others, it’s a problem that requires special attention from a dermatologist.  Others don’t have to deal with it at all!  Regardless of how much of a problem acne is or isn’t in your life, there are many misconceptions out there on this beauty bother!

1. Eating a lot of chips, chocolate, or greasy food will lead to breakouts.
FICTION: Contrary to popular belief, there are no studies that directly link foods like those to acne! Greasy foods do not directly increase oil production from the sebaceous glands that promote acne.  Actually, the only food known to do this is excessive iodized salt, but that wouldn’t cause acne, it would make existing acne worse.

2. Heavily scrubbing your face will help keep acne away.
FICTION: Cleaning your face gently twice a day with soap and water is best.  This helps healthy skin regenerate itself.  Scrubbing your face too hard will weaken the skin and make it unable to do its job.

3. Using more skin medication than your doctor recommends will speed up the process.
FICTION: This is counterproductive!  Even though you are trying to help your skin, you can do more harm than good.  If you find that there is no improvement in your skin after using medication for a few weeks, talk to your doctor about a different option.  But always follow your doctor’s instructions on applying products.

4. Wearing makeup can cause acne.
IT DEPENDS: There can be ingredients in some makeup that are comedogenic, meaning that they can clog your pores.  However, many makeup products today are labeled as “non-comedogenic” or “oil-free.” It’s also very important to remove your makeup before going to sleep at night.

5. Too much stress can cause acne.
SOMETIMES: We all know that stress affects our body.  When we feel stressed, our body releases a hormone that can lead to the sebaceous glands producing more oil.  For some people, this increased production in oil can lead to more breakouts.

6. Tanning helps get rid of acne.
FICTION: Tanning can actually make your skin worse! Aside from the risk of skin cancer, tanning can dry out your skin (causing the sebaceous glands to produce more oil) or cause skin cells to shed (leading to clogged pores).  While you may have a nice tan for a short amount of time, the long term effects of tanning should make you think twice.

Until next time,
Jillian

P.S. Still unsure about some of the myths?  Check out these great links:

http://www.true-beauty-tips.com/acne-myths.html

http://www.acne.com/teen/fact-vs-fiction/

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