Acne is a common skin disease and its most common symptom includes pimples.
Acne is caused by dirt.
There is no evidence till now that dirt can alone be held responsible for acne formation. Combination of oil, bacteria and skin scales found in the glands, sebaceous and follicles leads to acne formation. Basically, acne is formed when the skin pores get clogged by dead skin cells, bacteria, and sebum. This myth has emerged because people misinterpret the color of the blackheads for dirt. Blackheads get their color from the dead cells that have clogged pores earlier.
Acne is caused by poor hygiene.
Another popular myth is that acne is caused by poor hygiene. That is the reason why many people suffering from acne outbreak are found to be washing their skin hard and frequently. However, this will actually make acne worse. This myth came into existence because of the popular belief that acne is caused by dirt and surface skin oils, and these can be removed by practicing good hygiene. But, dead skin, excess oils, and dust are responsible only for making you look unsightly, nothing more than that. They should not be removed by hand scrubbing as this can irritate the skin, making acne worse. Rather than vigorous washing, you must gently wash your face with mild soap and pat dry. This is perhaps the best approach to hygiene.
Acne is caused by an unhealthy diet.
Most of the people are of the opinion that there is a connection between diet and acne. However, studies conducted in this direction have shown that no such relationship occurs. You may often get to hear that chocolates, dairy products, and processed food can trigger acne. However, eating a balanced diet is always beneficial. But, the most important thing is that if you are treating acne properly, you don’t have to pay much attention to food affecting the acne.
The sun will help get rid of acne.
This myth cannot be claimed to be completely false because 10-20 minutes exposure to sun may prove to be beneficial for acne symptoms. However, the benefits vary from one person to another. For some people, it may show no positive effect at all. Also, the risk of overexposing your skin cannot be ignored. This can create skin damages and leaves your skin irritated. The result is that you will end up having more acne in the weeks following over exposure.
Squeezing can eliminate acne.
You cannot get rid of acne by squeezing and popping the pimples. This is certainly one of the most popular myths related to acne. You must never do this, as this can cause redness, wounds, and perhaps leave a permanent scar on your face. The infected liquid is driven to a greater depth inside the acne if you try to squeeze it. This can increase acne.
Acne is caused by sex.
This myth traces its origin to 17th century when this myth was used as a way to discourage young people from having premarital sex. No scientific evidence is known to exist till date which supports this view. Sex or masturbation has nothing to do with acne, and abstinence from sex is not going to prevent you from acne breakout. However, a more plausible explanation does exist which shows that there is a correlation between increased desire for sex and acne breakout. Studies have shown that increase in the level of androgens (male sex hormone) can lead to both acne breakout and increased desire for sex. This shows that acne breakout is not caused by sex, in fact, both of them can be the consequence of the changes in the level of the same hormone.
Consulting a doctor is not necessary.
You may certainly consult your doctor or dermatologist if you are facing acne breakout, otherwise, the problem may become worse. If it is not treated properly, it may grow into a more severe form and can leave behind permanent scars. Although acne is not a serious threat, the scars can have certain psychological effects on the person suffering from it. So, it is still better to consult a skin specialist.Acne is just for teens
There are a number of factors responsible for acne formation. Acne is often associated with teenagers and it is a common misconception that only teenagers can have acne, however, the fact is that anyone can suffer from an acne breakout. Although teenagers are at a greater risk of getting acne because of hormonal changes, this does not imply that people in the other age groups can’t have them. There are a number of other factors which can lead to acne breakout other than the hormonal changes which happen in the teenage years, adults and kids are also vulnerable to acne breakouts.
You just have to let acne run its course.
Most of the people are of the opinion that the best way to get rid of acne is to let it run its course. This myth floated to the surface because it was observed that many people having acne got rid of them without any sort of medications. But, we will like to remind you that letting acne run its course won’t guarantee a complete elimination. Sometimes it may appear that are fading away with time, however, they can pop up on the surface anytime again. It is a common misconception that there is nothing that can be done to clear the acne breakouts, and that is the reason why most of the people prefer to let acne run its course. However, the truth is that acne can be cleared up. Leaving the acne unattended can make the situation worse. It may happen that the acne products, which you have been using, do not show the expected results, but this does not mean it cannot be cured. Certain medications show positive results only for some people, for others the result may not be that much encouraging. In such cases, consult a dermatologist.