There is a lot of information out there about acne and what causes it and this information is a mix of both fact and fiction. Accordingly, let us look at some of the things that are being circulated and see if we can separate the myth from the fact.
Diet
First of all there is no direct link between eating such things as greasy hamburgers and chocolate or drinking too many soft drinks and developing acne. It is the case however that diet plays an important role in the way the body functions and therefore it does have a small role to play in whether acne is less or more likely.
For example, greasy foods do not directly turn into rising oil production from the sebaceous glands that contributes to acne, although foods that do increase the oil production would have an effect. However, iodized salt is the only food substance that has been demonstrated to have any appreciable effect and it just worsens acne but does not cause it.
Cleanliness
The odds of developing a pimple are increased when a pore becomes plugged and bacteria are trapped inside. What this means is that hygiene habits that tend to close the pores can play a role. However this effect is only small and the bacteria and dead cell skins that become trapped and cannot work their way out of the pore to the surface are only influenced to a small degree by insufficient regular face washing.
But, after acne arrives then good skin hygiene is especially important and mild cleansing twice each day with soap and water helps in treating acne and encouraging healthy skin in general. Good hygiene is an excellent for many reasons although it is most helpful in treating acne because it provides a good surface for medications to work most efficiently.
Acne is greatly influenced by excess sebum (skin oil) production which is triggered primarily by hormones and harsh cleansers applied roughly do not only clear away any 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 influence its level of hormones it might be thought that stress should play a role in the onset of acne. However, there is no evidence that stress can cause acne, but there is evidence to suggest that it could play a small role once acne has arrived.
One of the problems with assessing the role of stress is that people who suffer from chronic stress normally also suffer from other health problems which complicate things. Do not forget also that we are talking here about clinical stress and not simply the worries that we all experience as part of the ups and downs of day to day living.
Medicines
A lot of individuals are tempted to raise the dosage of over-the-counter medications believing that if a little can do a bit of good then a lot will do a lot of good. Unhappily, this is not so and it both wastes medication and might actually damage the skin. Always follow the instructions on any medication and if any medication is not showing signs of working within two or three weeks then it is a good idea to consult your dermatologist.
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