At age nine I started getting pimples, by age eleven I had acne and by age fifteen I had entered into the wonderful world of Acne Vulgaris (cystic acne = very painful, very ugly). So needless to say, my formative years were spent being self conscious, depressed, picked on by peers, and in dermal pain. At the age of thirty one, I am finally over the thought that I am still a “pizza face”.
I used to believe that as an adult I would have clear skin. Where did that myth start? Acne affects 25% of all men and 50% of women at some time in their adult lives. My skin is looking better than it ever has, but I wonder about these myths surrounding such an emotionally and dermal painful disease.
As most of us know, the causes of acne are unknown. Sure, we definitely know that diet, hormones, stress, and environmental factors have a huge part to do with it, and we know how pimples form. There are still arguments as to whether acne is genetic. Why did my twin brother never have more than one pimple on his face at a time, yet I was told by 3 dermatologists that they had never seen Acne Vulgaris so severe?
If only I had known then what I know now; like how over washing can aggravate acne. So many other things I would have changed. . . so, let’s explore the myths shall we? For more helpful hints on acne, please visit http://www.skincarephysicians.com.
Myth #1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene. If you believe this myth, and wash your skin hard and frequently, you can actually make your acne worse. Acne is not caused by dirt or surface skin oils. Although excess oils, dead skin and a day’s accumulation of dust on the skin looks unsightly, they should not be removed by hand scrubbing. Vigorous washing and scrubbing will actually irritate the skin and make acne worse. The best approach to hygiene and acne: Gently wash your face twice a day with a mild soap, pat dry–and use an appropriate acne treatment for the acne.
Myth #2: Acne is caused by diet. Extensive scientific studies have not found a connection between diet and acne. In other words, food does not cause acne. Not chocolate. Not french fries. Not pizza. Nonetheless, some people insist that certain foods affect their acne. In that case, avoid those foods. Besides, eating a balanced diet always makes sense. However, according to the scientific evidence, if acne is being treated properly, there’s no need to worry about food affecting the acne.
Myth #3: Acne is caused by stress. The ordinary stress of day-to-day living is not an important factor in acne. Severe stress that needs medical attention is sometimes treated with drugs that can cause acne as a side effect. If you think you may have acne related to a drug prescribed for stress or depression, you should consult your physician.
Myth #4: Acne is just a cosmetic disease. Yes, acne does affect the way people look and is not otherwise a serious threat to a person’s physical health. However, acne can result in permanent physical scars–plus, acne itself as well as its scars can affect the way people feel about themselves to the point of affecting their lives.
Myth #5: You just have to let acne run its course. The truth is, acne can be cleared up. If the acne products you have tried haven’t worked, consider seeing a dermatologist. With the products available today, there is no reason why someone has to endure acne or get acne scars.
Myth #6: I need to squeeze the pimple to get rid of it. Squeezing pimples or trying to open them in other ways increases inflammation and the depth of injury to the skin, making scarring more likely. Squeezing also causes the bacteria under the surface of the skin, to spread. This means, wherever you squeezed your pimple, another one will appear in the general vicinity.
If you just can’t leave the house with that pimple on your face, do the following for a less aggravating result.
a) Take a warm shower or bath to soften your skin.
b) Wash your face with a mild soap.
c) Wash your hands to prevent spreading germs and infecting the pimple.
d) Sterilize a needle by running it through a flame (a dirty needle will cause an infection and maybe a bigger pimple). Wipe it off with Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol)
e) Gently prick the tip of the pimple with the needle.
f) Take a clean tissue or piece of toilet paper and wrap it around your index fingers.
g) Gently apply pressure to the sides of the pimple to ease out the pus.
“Listen” to your skin, is the main advice I can give, after 21 years of being plagued by this. I have found that I am able to keep my acne at bay now by drinking lots of water (my skin’s God send), not eating greasy foods (I must be slightly allergic, because grease actually doesn’t cause acne), and using products (von Natur) that are pH balanced for my skin. Using acidic pH balanced products allowed my skin to stop itching, which in turn stopped the aggravation, which in turn allowed my skin to start clearing up, I realized I had finally found the product I had been searching for my entire life. No longer would I try crazy things (like bleach on my skin when I was 15). LISTEN to your skin.
