Acne - Acne Myths Exploded
There are several common beliefs about the causes and
course of acne that simply don't square with scientific studies.
Fortunately, it isn't necessary to understand them in depth to separate
fact from fancy. Common experience can help persuade, too.
Diet
There's no direct link between eating chocolate or greasy cheeseburgers
and developing acne. Soft drinks do not increase the odds. What is true
is that diet plays a role in all the body's systems, and so has a minor
part in whether acne is more or less likely.
For example, eating greasy foods doesn't directly translate into
increased oil production from the sebaceous glands that contribute to
acne. But foods that do increase the oil production would. However,
excess iodized salt is the only food substance that has been shown to
have any substantial effect. It only worsens existing acne. It doesn't
cause it.
Hygiene
Diet and hygiene are closely linked. But that's more because people tend
to have habits. People who have a non-nutritious or unhealthy diet tend
to have poor hygiene habits as well. But even here the influence on the
development of acne is minor at best.
The odds of acne are increased when a pore gets plugged and bacteria are
trapped inside. White blood cells rush to the area to combat the
bacteria. Trapped dead skin cells contribute. The result can be
inflammation and the creation of pus, a component of one type of acne.
So, hygiene habits that tend to close the pores can play a role. But the
effect is minimal. The dead skin cells and bacteria that get trapped,
and can't make their way out of the pore to the surface, are only
somewhat influenced by whether a person washes the face regularly and
well. After acne occurs good skin care is particularly important,
though.
A mild cleansing twice a day with soap and water, not heavy scrubbing
several times per day, is best. That helps encourage healthy skin in
general.
But acne is strongly influenced by excess sebum production (a natural
skin oil), triggered primarily by hormones. Good hygiene is a good idea
for many reasons. But it helps more in treating acne that has already
occurred by providing a good surface for medications to do their work
most effectively.
Harsh cleansers applied roughly don't just clear away the excess oil
that plays a role in acne formation. Rather, it weakens the skin's
ability to deal with it. Also, contemporary makeup formulations will
rarely increase the odds of forming acne.
Stress
As a factor that weakens the immune system and influences hormones,
stress might be thought to play a role in the onset of acne. But no
clear correlation is found in major studies. Stress can have a small
effect on acne that has already formed, but as a possible cause it ranks
very low on the list.
Here again, though, people who experience excess or chronic stress tend
to be in the cluster of those who have other health problems. Always a
good thing to avoid. Keep in mind that stress and being challenged by
ordinary life events are not the same thing. Stress occurs when someone
thinks they're not up to the task of dealing with those challenges well.
Medication
Increasing the dosage of over the counter (or, worse, prescription)
medications to treat acne is harmful, not helpful. At best, it wastes
medication. At worst, it can actually harm the skin. Stick to the
recommendations on the instructions. If over the counter medications
don't clear up the condition within a couple of weeks, seek the guidance
of a dermatologist for better treatments.
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To your success!
P.Robertson
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