ACNE MYTHS BUSTED

Washing your face more often will help clear up acne

Stress may have an effect on hormones and theoretically can promote acne. However, an effective acne system is more powerful than a bout of stress any day. Some psychiatric medications may have acne as a side effect, but stress itself is no big deal. Your time is better spent determining the right course of acne treatment rather than feeling guilt about stress

Stress causes acne

Stress may have an effect on hormones and theoretically can promote acne. However, an effective acne system is more powerful than a bout of stress any day. Some psychiatric medications may have acne as a side effect, but stress itself is no big deal. Your time is better spent determining the right course of acne treatment rather than feeling guilt about stress

Sex causes acne

This antiquated notion, originating as early as the 17th century to dissuade young people from having premarital sex, is not based on scientific evidence. A more plausible explanation may be that higher levels of androgens (male sex hormones) can cause increased sex drive. We also know that high levels of androgens can be related to more severe cases of acne. So it may be the higher androgen levels and not the associated increase in desire for sexual activity that is related to acne.

The sun will help get rid of acne

10-20 minutes per day for sun exposure for people with lighter skin and 20-30 minutes per day for people with darker skin may prove beneficial for acne symptoms, especially body acne. However, overly exposing your skin to the sun creates skin damage, which leaves the skin irritated. This irritation can result in more acne in the weeks following over exposure as the skin heals itself. If you notice a break out "out of the blue," ask yourself if you got sunburnt about two weeks ago. That may be the cause.

Diet and acne are related

The bottom line is we need more research. We do know that people in some indigenous societies do not experience acne whatsoever across the entire population. This is in stark contrast to the widespread presence of acne throughout all modern society. It leaves us to ponder whether the indigenous people's unprocessed hunter/gatherer diet contributes to their acne-free skin or whether their clear skin is a result of genetics or some other factor. Discovering a dietary way of preventing acne may be a future reality, however, we may live so differently from our hunter/gatherer ancestors that it has become close to impossible to replicate our ancestral diet. Keep in mind that almost any diet will appear to work in the short term because as your body loses weight, insulin and other hormones react and acne tends to recede. Then, as body weight levels out or increases, acne symptoms tend to return. Any legitimately effective anti-acne diet should continue working after the initial weight loss period.