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Acne Myths

Acne is a common skin condition, which can be extremely mild or quite disfiguring. Having had a rather bad case as a young adolescent,

One of the myths is that acne is caused by everyday dirt and surface oil on the skin and that the solution is frequent and vigorous washing of the skin. Vigorous washing of the face to cure acne is a myth. The fact is- the problems that have caused chronic acne are deeper, beneath the skin’s surface and that only a mild washing of the face is in order, often accompanied with specific solutions prescribed for treating the acne by a dermatologist. Vigorous washing of the face, particularly with harsh soaps, can lead to a further irritation of the tissue. There is, in part, a bacteriological condition that contributes to acne and it is below the surface.

Another idea is that acne is caused by stress. Scientific research seems to indicate that stress alone probably does not lead to acne, but it may be aggravated by stress. But, unfortunately, acne can result from certain prescriptions that are used to treat stress. So, if you are on certain drugs related to stress, you should certain talk to your dermatologist, the appropriate type of physician for dealing with this problem. According to Doctor James Fulton, a pioneer in the treatment of acne, lithium, a substance sometimes used in profound psychological disorders, can aggravate an acne condition.
Another myth that can lead to profoundly unpleasant consequences is that one should let acne run its course, “grow out of it.” Acne can linger for years and get worse and worse. Acne is very disfiguring and covers whole face and part of neck.

Can acne be the consequence of poor nutrition? I think the jury may be out on this one, but, for myself, I came to believe that my excessive eating of chocolate and a lot of sugar products were contributing factors to my acne. But, in my case, I did not see any correlation before my medical treatment and it was clearly medical intervention that helped me. There are certainly many naturopathically oriented practitioners and some medical doctors that share this view, though. Not everything in medicine is a hundred percent clear cut and every acne victim should certainly research all the alternatives. By George Forgan Smith

This entry was posted on Friday, June 13th, 2008 at 8:11 pm and is filed under Acne, Health, Medicine .