Probably there is no surprise that acne myths are so widespread since it is one of the most common skin conditions around the world. It is only natural that people turn to home remedies for the treatment of acne and many of them work as well. However, there are quite a few widely spread acne myths that mislead people and can sometimes cause undue stress. The following are a few.
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Stress Causing Acne
If you have been further stressing yourself out imagining that stress is the cause of acne, then you should immediately change your approach to set your mind to the right solutions. While there is no doubt that hormonal changes affect the appearance of acne, the change affected by stress is not significant enough to produce this kind of result.
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Dirt Causing Acne
Some people believe that dirt causes acne and believe that washing the face repeatedly will reduce acne. The problem is that acne blemishes and spots are not caused by dirt in the first place. Contrary to the popular belief, the clogging of the hair follicles is not caused by dirt but by clogging of the skin pores by oil secretions and other debris. Washing over and over again will only irritate the skin pores.
Image by Saluda UdeA Source by : flickr
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Masturbation and Sex Causing Acne
It is incorrect to assume that masturbation or sex has any effect on acne. There is no correlation whatsoever otherwise there will be hardly any sexually active adult safe from acne. Probably some people confuse the hormones produced during adolescence with masturbation. Acne is indeed triggered by the hormones produced during puberty such as androgen. However, that does not mean that abstaining form masturbating or having sex would have produced any different results.
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Makeup Causing Acne
This is probably the most plausible of all the acne “myths” but perhaps not proved through research. Makeup and cosmetic products could contribute to clogging the pores of the skin due to the presence of certain chemicals. Some cosmetic products at least initiate an allergic reaction in some people.
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Certain Food Items Causing Acne
Some people believe that eating certain foods can cause acne. There is no scientific research that has confirmed this notion. Certain food can bring out allergic reactions, digestive tract problems and other health threats in some people but not acne. However, it is worth mentioning that those who already are affected by acne could have their condition worsened as a reaction to food items with a high concentration of iodine such as table salt and sea food. However, such food is still not the cause of acne.
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Sunlight Cures Acne
While exposure to sunlight in moderation can be healthy for you, overexposure could expose you to threats such as sunburns and skin cancer. The fairer the skin, the greater the risk. Also, exposure to sunlight has nothing to do with acne in any way, though it could irritate the skin.
Solutions to Acne and Skin Care Tips
Signs of acne range from blackheads to whiteheads and from pimples and blemishes to rosacea and serious cases of cystic acne. Acne vulgaris is the most common form of acne which affects almost every person at some point in their lives. While medication is required in case of inflammatory acne involving a bacterial infection, acne can be treated using even very simple over-the-counter and home remedies.
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Medicated Topical Treatment
One of the most widely used and quite effective treatment method of the treatment is the application of medicated ointment or creams on the skin. Benzoyl peroxide is the chemical used for the purpose with various concentration specifications. Retinoids are also used to treat acne but has more painful side effects as compared to Benzoyl peroxide. Several over-the-counter topical products are available.
Medication
Antibiotics are administered in case of bacterial infections. Anti-inflammatory medicine is prescribed to treat the condition as well. Oral retinoids are also found to be very effective in the long term treatment of acne.
Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is a cosmetic method to treat acne which involves the sanding of the damaged skin cells for reducing scars and spots from the skin. However, Dermabrasion is painful and general anesthesia is administered to carry out the procedure.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy may improve acne in some females. The treatment includes administering higher estrogen or progesterone levels but the most successful one is the combination of estrogen and antiandrogen cyproterone.
Surgical Lancing
This surgical process involves the draining of the boils and is only carried out on people with severe cases of cystic acne.
Alternative and Herbal Remedies
Aloe Vera and Tea Tree oil are the most widely used acne herbal remedies. Aloe Vera gel is a frequently used and easily available herbal product and is a topical treatment for acne. Aloe Vera gel is also very useful for general skin health. Tea Tree oil is antioxidant rich and has anti-bacterial qualities which can be useful for inflammatory skin conditions. Neem, Haemafine syrup and Witch Hazel are also used as herbal remedies.
Source by : flickr
Acne Prevention and Winter Skin Care Tips
Most people often neglect skin care during winters and as the skin is more likely to get dry during colder temperatures, following these tips could be useful both in acne prevention and general skin care.
Prevent from Worsening
Once a pimple appears on your skin, refrain from touching it or it could get infected, worsening the condition and making the treatment more painful.
Hygiene
While acne is not caused by dirt, maintaining good skin hygiene is helpful for preventing acne. Use medicated soaps and creams.
Diet
Stay hydrated especially in the winters when the skin can be dried so easily. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables especially carrots, green leaf vegetables and oranges.
Tags: acne myths, acne prevention and winter skin care tips, certain food items causing acne, dirt causing acne, makeup causing acnecertain food items causing acne, masturbation and sex causing acne, medicated topical treatment, solutions to acne and skin care tips, stress causing acne, sunlight cures acne
