There is a great deal of information distributed about acne and what causes it and that information is a mixture of both fact and fiction. Accordingly, let us take a look at some of those things which are being circulated and see if we can work out the fact from the myth.
Food
There is no direct connection between eating greasy hamburgers and chocolate or drinking excessive soft drinks and developing spots. It is the case however that what we eat plays a role in the way the body functions and so it does have a small role to play in whether acne is less or more likely.
For instance, greasy foods do not directly translate into increased oil production from the sebaceous glands that adds to acne, although foods that do increase the oil production would of course have an effect. However, iodized salt is the only food substance that has been shown to have any real effect and it merely worsens acne and does not cause it.
Hygiene
The odds of developing a pimple are increased when a pore gets plugged and bacteria get trapped inside. This means that hygiene habits which tend to close the pores can play a role. However this effect is only small and the bacteria and dead cell skins which become trapped and are unable to work their way out of the pore are influenced only to a small degree by insufficient regular face washing.
Nevertheless, after acne occurs good skin hygiene is especially important and mild cleansing two times a day with soap and water can help in treating acne and encouraging healthy skin in general. Cleanliness is an excellent for several reasons although it is most helpful in treating acne by providing a good surface allowing medications to do their work most effectively.
Acne spots are greatly influenced by excess skin oil (sebum) production which is triggered chiefly by hormones and abrasive cleansers which are applied roughly do not only clear away this excess oil but also weakens the skin’s ability to cope with it.
Stress
As stress tends to weaken the body’s immune system and also influence its hormone levels it could be thought that stress would play a role in the onset of acne. However, there is no evidence to suggest that stress leads to acne, although there is some evidence to show that it might play a small role after acne has arrived.
One of the problems in assessing the role of stress is that people who are suffering from chronic stress normally also suffer from additional health problems that complicate the picture. Do not forget also that here we are talking about clinical stress and not simply the worries that we all experience as part of the ups and downs of day to day living.
Medications
A lot of us are tempted to raise the dosage of an over-the-counter medication in the belief that if a little can do a bit of good a lot will do a lot of good. Unfortunately, this is not so and it is both a waste of medication and might actually harm the skin. Always follow the instructions on any medication and if an over-the-counter medication does not show signs of working within a reasonable period of time then it is a good idea to talk to a dermatologist.
Viewed 70 times by 41 viewers
