What is true about acne and what is false? There are a lot of acne myths floating around out there: from acne’s causes to acne’s cures. Here are the top 5 (of many more) acne myths, and a bit of info on the real truth behind them.
1. Acne Is Your Fault / Acne Means You’re Dirty
False! No one knows the exact cause of acne, but we know it’s out of our control. Almost everyone experiences acne in adolescence, and many people still have blemishes and breakouts well into adulthood. Poor hygiene can make breakouts worse, but it won’t cause them in the first place. Even the cleanest people get zits.
2. Chocolate Gives You Zits
This is a long-held belief but has little scientific basis. There are a lot of conflicting opinions about what causes or does not cause acne in terms of dietary choices. While it doesn’t hurt to avoid fatty and oily foods (they’re unhealthy, anyway), there is no conclusive evidence that these cause acne in the first place. However, certain foods may trigger acne flare-ups, but these generally vary on an individual basis. Get to know how your body responds, and know that no single food causes pimple for everyone.
3. You Can’t Cure Acne, So There’s No Point Trying
While you can’t stop acne from happening, you can help control your symptoms. No, poor hygiene doesn’t cause acne, but it can certainly make it worse. Don’t just give up. Find a good face wash and moisturizer, or a specialized acne treatment regimen, or even see a dermatologist. Not trying at all WILL make your acne worse, so don’t’ just give up!
4. More Face Washing Means Fewer Zits
Surprisingly, this is false! Yes, it’s important to wash your face regularly. Yes, a good quality, dermatologist-approved face wash with acne-fighting ingredients can help you control your breakouts. But washing too much can actually do more harm than good. If you wash your face more than twice a day, you are very likely to dry your skin out. What does your skin do to fix the problem? It produces more oil. This causes more acne. Not good: don’t do it!
5. No One Else’s Acne Is This Bad
You are not alone! Acne is one of the most common skin conditions (if not THE most common) there is. Virtually everyone gets acne. The duration and severity of the acne will be different for everyone. But don’t feel as though you are ‘weird’ for having blemishes. Do the best you can to treat your symptoms now so that you can improve yourself esteem both immediately and in the long run.
