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Acne Myths Exploded
There is a lot of information out there about acne and its causes and this information tends to be a mix of both fiction and fact. Thus, let us take a look at some of the things that are being said and see if we can work out the myth from the fact.
Diet
There is no direct link between eating things like chocolate or greasy hamburgers or drinking too many soft drinks and getting spots. It is the case however that what we eat plays an important role in the way the body functions and therefore it does have a minor role to play in whether getting acne is more or less likely.
For example, greasy foods do not directly convert into increased oil production from the sebaceous glands which adds to acne, although foods which do increase oil production would of course have an effect. However, iodized salt is the only food substance which has been demonstrated to have any appreciable effect and it only exacerbates existing acne and does not cause it.
Cleanliness
The chances of developing an acne spot are increased when a pore gets plugged and bacteria are trapped inside. This means that hygiene habits that tend to close the pores can play a role. But this effect is only small and the bacteria and dead cell skins which get trapped and cannot work their way out of the pore to the surface are only influenced to a minor degree by an absence of regular face washing.
Nevertheless, once acne occurs then good skin care is particularly important and mild cleansing twice each day with soap and water helps in treating acne and promoting healthy skin in general. Cleanliness is a good idea for several reasons although it helps most in treating acne by providing a good surface for medications to work most effectively.
Spots are greatly influenced by excess skin oil (sebum) production that is triggered principally by hormones and harsh cleansers applied roughly do not only clear away any excess oil but also damages the the ability of the skin to cope with it.
Stress
As stress has a tendency to weaken the body's immune system and also influence its hormone levels it may be thought that stress should play a role in the onset of acne. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that stress leads to acne, but there is some evidence to show that it might play a small role once acne has arrived.
One of the difficulties with assessing the role played by stress is that people who are suffering from chronic stress also also suffer from additional health problems which can complicate things. Do not forget also that here we are talking about clinical stress and not just the worries which we all experience as part of the trials and tribulations of day to day living.
Medicine
A lot of individuals are tempted to increase the dosage of an over-the-counter medication believing that if a little medication does a bit of good then a lot will do a lot of good. Regrettably, this is not the case and it is both a waste of medicine and can actually damage the skin. You should always follow the instructions on any acne medication and if any medicine does not show signs of working within two or three weeks then it is a good idea to consult a dermatologist.
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