No matter where you turn, it seems like almost everyone has an opinion about acne, about what causes it, and what the best acne treatment products are. Acne is one of those things that virtually everyone has experience in their life at one time or another, and while there are a lot of myths about acne and acne treatment, much of what is said is actually based in fact.
But the thing you need to remember is that everybody is different, and just because a certain acne treatment lotion or cream works for one person does not mean it will be equally effective for another person. The first common myth about acne is that is it caused when you do not stay clean or wash regularly, especially in the facial area. Although there is a minor bit of truth to this statement, by and large it is a myth. In fact, rigorous washing of your acne affected areas can actually make your acne worse since that will irritate the skin around the affected area. Acne is not caused by dirt or surface skin oils. Many people claim that acne is caused by what you eat but there is absolutely no scientific proof of this. Some people will claim they get acne when they eat a greasy pizza or consume too much chocolate.
Although foods like this can cause other problems, there is no scientific evidence to suggest or prove conclusively that anything like this causes acne or affects an acne condition in any way. Some people maintain that acne is caused by stress, which again contains a bit of truth but for the most part is pure myth. Acne is not caused in any way by the normal stress of day to day living. If you are taking medications for stress, it is possible that acne could be caused, in part, as a side effect of those medications. Also, SEVERE stress, more than what would be attributed to every day living, can cause a skin disorder, where a severely stressful situation would be something like a car accident, a death in the family, a job layoff, or something catastrophic. You may hear people referring to acne as a cosmetic disease. This is not so much a myth as an error in labeling the condition. Acne is actually a skin disease that can affect men and women equally. Almost all scientists would put acne in the skin disease category rather than the cosmetic disease category. The big difference here is that in severe cases of acne, the lesions can cause scarring, which is not an attribute of a cosmetic disease. One bit of "common wisdom" is that you just need to let acne run its course and you will grow out of it. This is totally untrue. In fact, there are many adults and middle aged people with acne that they have carried with them from their teen years and they never did "grow out of it". The reality is that most cases of acne can be controlled and cleared up. Of course you can ignore it and let it run its course, and it MAY clear up on its own although it will take significantly longer to do so. But if you ignore it, there is an equal chance that it could get worse, which may lead to scarring, which will stay with you the rest of your life. If you have an acne condition that is more than just "mild", you should see your doctor or a dermatologist to get their recommendations.
You should also be aware of what acne treatment is available, even as over the counter medications. Take proactive steps to control your acne and you will be much happier for it!
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