Acne Myths
Anyone who has lived through their teenage years knows that feeling. It’s an important occasion, such as a formal or public speaking, but there is that one giant pimple that just refuses to go away. When trying to treat stubborn acne, it can be difficult to distinguish the facts from the fiction. But fret no more, beautiful ONNEs, because today we are going to address these myths and expose them for the falsehoods they are.
Myth Number 1: Adults don’t get acne
Unfortunately, the 18th birthday isn’t a magical day where our skin instantly becomes cleansed and we never experience acne again. The propensity and severity of experiencing acne are determined heavily by genetics and varies greatly between individuals. Some people only experience breakouts during their teen years, while for others acne continues into adulthood. There have been cases of acne developing later on into adulthood, usually caused by chemical imbalances.
Myth Number 2: The sun can clear up acne
You may have heard this one due to the anti-bacterial properties in UV rays. While it is true that getting some sun can benefit people with acne by reducing its appearance, it comes with the risk of skin damage. Getting too much exposure to the sun can cause wrinkles and pigmentation discolouration. Drying out your skin in the sun for extended periods can cause an excess of sebum oil, which blocks the pores and leads to even more breakouts.
Myth Number 3: It is okay to pop the pimples yourself
Trying to pick at or pop a pimple causes more harm than good, due to the damage caused to the surface of the skin. Popping pimples creates a lesion when the skin is broken can introduce even more bacteria and only increases the inflammation. This can also cause acne scarring or dark marks, which can be very difficult to remove.
Myth Number 4: You can use toothpaste to reduce acne
Toothpaste is a drying agent, which may temporarily reduce the size appearance of acne. There is a reason it's called toothpaste, however. The drying properties are not designed for the surface of the skin. Applying toothpaste to the face can irritate and inflame the skin even further.
Myth Number 5: Putting ice on a pimple will remove it
This supposed solution is only temporary. The coldness from the ice contracts the blood vessels, which reduces redness and swelling. However, this effect does not last very long and overdoing it can inflame other conditions, such as rosacea.
Myth Number 6: You can never exfoliate too much
There is such a thing as overdoing it. Exfoliating is an important step of the cleansing routine, but it is entirely possible to go overboard as well. The process removes dead cell build-up, but exfoliating too much can cause irritation and damage the skin. It is recommended that you exfoliate your skin two to three times a week in order to avoid unnecessary trauma while maintaining smooth skin.
Myth Number 7: You can never wash your face too much
Also untrue. While it is important to cleanse before bed so that you do not go to bed with clogged pores, but going to the opposite extreme isn’t helpful either. Washing your face excessively can cause irritation by over-stripping the oil on the skin. This can lead to the skin producing more oil to compensate, causing even more breakouts. The recommended amount for washing your face is two times a day, before bed and first thing in the morning.
Myth Number 8: Diet is unrelated to breakouts
Although it is difficult to prove definitively, researchers are discovering a link between dietary choices and the onset of acne. Diets that are high in fat, sugar and dairy can influence the likelihood of breakouts. The fatty parts of dairy products contain hormones, which can also contribute to acne problems.
Myth Number 9: Eating chocolate causes acne
Contrary to expectations, it is not the cocoa content in chocolate that causes breakouts. The blame for that pesky problem is on the sugar and dairy in milk chocolate. In fact, cocoa is actually good for you! Eating a small amount of dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher contains a large number of antioxidants, which can improve the appearance of the skin.