June is Acne Awareness month so to get the month kicked off, here are some of the most common acne myths.
Myth #1: It’s ok to “pop” my acne lesions to make them go away faster.
Popping or squeezing an acne bump can lead to more inflammation and breakouts and increase the risk of scarring after the acne lesion has resolved. “Finger surgery” is never a good idea. Instead, see your dermatologist who may be able properly extract the lesion or inject the bump with cortisone, which helps reduce the inflammation.
Myth #2: Getting sun makes my acne better.
Although a tan may temporarily camouflage discoloration from acne, there is no evidence that tanned skin helps acne long-term. In fact, excess sun exposure can overly dry the skin and potentially lead to more breakouts. Plus all that sun can lead to premature aging and skin cancer, so why risk that when there are so many great acne treatments!
Myth #3: I need to scrub my skin to clear my acne up.
Scrubbing your skin aggressively or using harsh scrubs tends to dry the skin out and irritate it, which often worsens acne. It’s better to use mild cleansers, especially if you are using other acne treatments. If you feel like you need a deeper cleanse try adding a skin cleansing brush, such as a Clarisonic.
Myth #4: I don’t need to moisturize because I have acne.
Many people with acne think that they need to dry the skin out to treat their acne, so they avoid moisturizers. However, if the skin gets too dry, it compensates by producing more oil leading to more acne. Instead of avoiding moisturizers, try using an oil-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer (Tip: get one that contains a broad-spectrum sunscreen for daily use).
Myth #5: Diet and acne are not related.
Traditional thinking was that acne is unaffected by diet; however, recent evidence proves otherwise. Acne has been linked to both high glycemic foods and dairy products. In addition, certain foods, such as antioxidant rich foods and omega-3 fatty acids may have a beneficial effect by reducing inflammation in the skin.
Myth #6: Only teenagers get acne.
Although most commonly affects teenagers, adults can develop acne as well. In fact, adult acne affects 25% of men and 50% of women at some point in their adult life and some of those adults never even had acne as teenagers.
Myth #7: Acne is caused by poor hygiene.
Hygiene isn’t related to the development of acne. Cleansing the skin is a part of any good skin care regimen, but it doesn’t always treat the underlying causes of acne. Dirt itself isn’t a cause of acne.
