Acne is a medical condition that is so common among humans that a huge number of myths regarding it has come into existence. In this article we will be busting 10 of the most popular acne myths that everyone believed to be true.

Myth #1: Washing Your Face Often Prevents Breakouts
I for once believe that acne can be caused by too much uncleanness. When you make a habit of not taking your bath as often as you should, you give your skin the opportunity to accumulate dirt from the environs. When these are held for too long under the top layer, what you get is infection by bacteria, and then acne. As such, merely bathing regularly as you should, could help you cure the condition as well as most of the acne medicines would.

Myth #2: Acne is caused by diet
“Don’t eat chocolate, it will give you pimples!”
“They say that eating greasy foods can give you zits.”
Most of you have heard these and other similar statements before, right? There are people who start to give all kinds of examples to ‘prove’ or ‘clarify’ their point. But, scientifically speaking, there isn’t any definitive answer for this. Extensive experiments have been conducted, searching for possible correlations between one’s diet and a possible cause of acne, and have not found anything conclusive. While diet may not be the cause, it can certainly contribute to the condition.

Myth #3: Acne is caused by stress
Stress is not a direct cause for acne. But studies have shown that stress produces a hormone called cortisol, which can irritate existing acne. Some medications given to control extreme cases of stress and to alleviate emotional problems like depression are said to be causes of acne. As a matter of fact, some medicines have acne listed as a possible side effect. So although stress is not the cause of acne, it sure can make the condition of acne worse.

Myth #4: Acne will go away on its own
This is a misconception that has been very popular among people. Acne is a skin condition that is caused by clogging of pores on the skin. In order to get rid of acne, the pores must be unclogged and must be kept that way. In some people after a certain age it is seen that the production of cells and oil gradually decreases. For these lucky few, acne may disappear on their own. Rest of the unlucky majority must still depend on some kind of natural or chemical medication in order to get rid of pimples. Also scarring may occur if severe acne is not treated.

Myth #5: Tanning clears up skin
Tanning in fact has a reverse effect on pimples. After the latest bake in the tanning bed or sunbathing it might seem that it has improved your complexion, but in fact may have only covered or masked the acne. Sun can leave your skin dry and irritated, eventually leading to more breakouts. If you still insist on tanning make sure you select sunscreen that doesn’t contain oils and chemicals that might clog up your pores and cause acne to get worse. Check for ‘noncomedogenic’ or ‘nonacnegenic’ on the label.

Myth #6: Popping Pimples Will Make Them Go Away Faster
Popping a pimple is the most worst thing you can do to your face. It is quite intimidating to pop those big pimples and most people do it, believe me. Most people do not understand the fact that popping a pimple will lead it to spread and make scars on your face. When we apply pressure on the pimple the infection spreads deep into the skin and eventually results in more pimples. So the best thing to do is to leave your pimples alone. Apply medications and they will eventually fade away.
If you still insist on popping your pimples the follow our guide to popping your pimples.

Myth #7: Only teenagers get acne
People believe that acne affects only those who are in their teens. The fact is that not only teenagers but also adults and even new-born babies suffer from acne. But it is not common to see acne on the faces and skins of people who are over the age of fifty; in fact it isn’t common to see it on anyone older than thirty-five. Most sufferers endure the condition when they are still young and coming of age. People who suffer it into their middle age years and beyond are outliers; anomalous cases. New born babies have small white acne called milia seen on their skin and will eventually go away after a week or so with proper medication. Those who still suffer from acne even after thirty-five must consult a dermatologist as soon as possible because most skin diseases are indications of abnormal hormonal or biological imbalances in our body.

Myth #8: Masturbation or Sex Causes Acne
This is a myth which is in existence from the 17th century itself and still today, people believe in this. As a matter of fact this myth was created with the purpose of preventing the young people from engaging in premarital sex. It is proven that higher hormonal level of humans can cause pimple outbreaks which is common in teenagers. During the teenage period both boys and girls are attracted to their opposite sex and the growth hormones kick in to make physiological changes. This higher hormonal level in teenagers will result in pimples and zits. People often misinterpret this as a result of masturbation and sexual activity.

Myth #9: For Clear skin, Don’t Wear Makeup or Shave
It is true that acne can be made worse by certain cosmetics. Some cosmetics contain oils which can increase the blockage in the sebaceous glands. Those with acne should avoid using oil-based cosmetics and try preparations that are water-based and less likely to cause problems. This does not mean that someone with acne should avoid using cosmetics. But it would be best to check the ingredients in the makeup and use a preparation that is not oil-based.
Shaving with a lot of pressure can irritate your skin. Do not shave a region more than 4 times and also make sure you change your shaving stick as soon as it start to looses it sharpness. Make sure that there isn’t any acne causing chemicals in the shaving cream.

Myth #10: Use more Acne Medications to Prevent Breakouts
There are myriads of acne creams and lotions used by various people to attempt to cure acne, with various levels of success. Some are dependent on the reaction of the patient to the medication or process, while others are simply dependent on the actual effectiveness of the acne cream or lotion. You may not just use any that you wish to, only that which will not react adversely to your system.

Here you have it. 10 of the most popular acne myths that you may have believed to be true. Do you know any other myths that is busted, then tell us in the comments.

Acne is one of the most common skin diseases known to man. It is estimated that around 85% of adults and teenagers suffer from acne or related skin problems. Most people in any stage of their life must have suffered from acne. This skin disorder is so famous that there are numerous myths surrounding it.

Before I explain what acne is, I would want you to know that the terms acne and pimples does not mean the same. There is a popular misconception that pimples and acne are identical. As a matter of fact acne is a skin condition that causes whiteheads, blackheads, and inflamed red growths (papules, pustules, and cysts) to form and these growths are in turn called pimples or zits.

Acne can be understood as lesions on your face, and any other parts of your body it chooses to appear on. A lot of people like to think it is limited to your face, but it does go well beyond all that: acne can appear on your back, chest, and just about anywhere you could have grown hair.

The follicles, often called pores, overproduce cells and sometimes get blocked. Why this happens is still unknown to humans. Sebum, the oil, which normally secretes to the surface of our skin, gets blocked inside the pores. This becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. If the follicle opening on your skin is completely closed by dirt and grease, you could develop a very mean case of acne. If this is how the disease came upon you, you can cure it by easily cleaning up that portion of your skin and doing it all the time. However, there are people who suffer acne simply because they inherited it from their parents or because of an internal situation. In such people, the condition may require a little extra effort than just cleansing.

The following picture depicts the difference between a normal follicle and a blocked follicle.

Comparison of Normal follicle & Blocked follicle

There are so many types of acne known to man that they could take you on a trip just for hearing the names by which they are called. Acne rosacea, chloracne, acne vulgaris, and acne conglobata are just a few examples. They all hit you in ways that you don’t like, just that the way they are caused, and their durations all also vary.

Mainly we can categorize pimples into two main types: Inflammatory and non-inflammatory.

Non-Inflammatory Pimples

Non inflammatory pimples are those which do not produce inflammations on the skins.

Rather they appear as minute white or black spots throughout the skin. Blackheads and whiteheads, known as comedones, can be more numerous on the face and shoulder than red bumps filled with pus.

Blackheads

Blackheads, also known as open comedones, are follicles that have a wider than normal opening. They are filled with sebum and overproduced marshy cells. They undergo a chemical reaction and as a result melanin, the substance that gives dark complexion to the skin, is oxidized. This is the reason for the black color for the material in the follicle. It is not dirt and cannot be washed away. The contents drain out to the surface so slow that blackheads appear to last for a long time.

Diagram of a blackhead

Whiteheads
Whiteheads are the small white spots that appear on the skin. Whiteheads are also known as closed comedones because they have only microscopic opening to the surface of the skin. They are filled with the same materials as in blackheads, but because the openings of whiteheads are microscopic, air cannot enter the follicle. As a result oxidization does not occur and the whiteheads appear in white. They may be so small that they are invisible to naked eyes.

Diagram of whitehead

Inflammatory Pimples

A blackhead or whitehead usually release it contents to the slowly to the surface and heal. Sometimes the follicle wall may rupture and can turn into inflammatory acne. This can happen naturally or can be caused by frequent touching or pricking.

Papule
A papule occurs when the follicle wall ruptures. The automatic defense mechanism of human body kicks in and white blood cells (WBC) rush to the area. WBCs are cells in the blood that fight off the foreign bodies in the body and help heal the wounds. The WBC fills the area around the ruptured follicle and causes inflammation.

Diagram of papule

Pustule

A papule develops into a pustule several days later when the white blood cells make their way to the surface of the skin. This is the condition that most people refer to as pimples or zits.
An inflamed lesion can sometimes completely collapse or explode, severely inflaming the surrounding skin, and sometimes engulfing neighboring follicles. These legions are called nodules or cysts.

Diagram of pustule

Nodule

Nodular acne is a severe form of acne characterized by the presence of inflammation, nodular breakouts and cysts. It usually consists of acne spots which are much larger, can be quite painful, and can sometimes last for months. Nodular acne can often result in scarring. Dermatologists can help you get rid of nodular acne by injecting the lesion with cortisone.

Cyst
Cysts are the very large pus filled legions that are caused by severe inflammatory reaction. This form of the infection is very painful, and the infection cannot be cured overnight. Cystic pimples are mainly cause due to hormonal changes or imbalances and/or collection of dirt on the skin, but it varies from individual to individual.

Milia
Milia are tiny white bumps that are seen on the skin. They occur when the dead skin cells get trapped in small pockets on the surface of the skin. Milia is commonly seen on the skin of new born babies across their nose and upper cheeks. Sometimes they are also found on adult skin.
Milia disappears after the dead skin on the surface of the skin is sloughed. In new borns it usually lasts only about a week and does not require any medication. In adults it may persist longer and might require consultation of a dermatologist.

The most common treatments for acne are lotions and creams that you can pick off of the rack in any pharmaceutical store in your neighborhood or over the Internet. You should however know that people react in different ways to these so called acne medications because, although the commercials proclaim instantaneous healing, this is rarely the case. You often need to learn more about your skin before you know the medication that works best for you.