3 Famous Myths About Acne And The Actual Truth Behind Them

Teenagers suffer from a lot of things, and acne is considered one of the most common ones: 80% of all teenagers are affected by it to some degree. The younger you are, the more embarrassment and emotional trauma acne can cause. And everywhere you look for tips on causes and cures, there are so many different and many times conflicting information that it's scary.

So here are below some of the myths and truth about teen acne.

Myth: Acne is related to sexual development and it 'clears up' as soon as the teen becomes sexually active. Well, actually this statement is half-way true.

Sexual activity doesn't have any effect on acne, however the rising levels of sex hormones occurring during teenhood does. Basically the increase in the male hormone called testosterone in both genders during the younger age influences the size and activity of the sebaceous glands rooted within the skin.

These glands secret sebum which pops up on the surface of the skin through hair follicles. Once these canals become clogged with sebum, what we call blackheads and whiteheads surface on the visible area of the skin.

Myth: An important part of acne treatment is played by diet, and one should avoid chocolate, ice cream, nuts, cheese, and other sweets, along with fatty foods like milk, butter and eggs.

Diet is important but not as much as in acne treatment, as in generally keeping the body healthy. Moreover, chocolate does not cause acne. A study from 1969 shows that from 65 acne patients who were given chocolate bars, 46 displayed no changed in their condition whatsoever, 10 got better and 9 got worse. Chocolate and fatty foods can contribute to acne flaring up, but they are not causing the acne. Nevertheless most dermatologists recommend the patients to eat well-balanced meals.

Myth: To treat acne in optimum way is to wash the face frequently with soap and water. It is indeed important to have clear skin, however, if you repeatedly scrub your face with soap, it might make things worse. Some soaps have harsh chemicals in them, and dermatologists recommend washing your face gently with mild soap and water twice a day. This will remove the excess oil from the skin. After washing the face, apply a lotion, cream or gel containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which will peel the skin.

By: MarciaG

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

One of my passions is researching more in-depth about acne, and during my journey I came across some very interesting material, some of it which I published on my acne natural treatment blog at www.acne-natural-treatment.criticdust.com