When it comes to the word “Acne”, it seems there is no shortage of theories and advices as to how it occurs, why it occurs & how will it go. Acne/pimples/breakouts, whatever name you use, these are dreadful enough on their own. To make things worse,we have the sheer amount of myths & misinformation for acne in our society. Among such are some of the commonly held acne myths that turn up all the time, no matter how many times these get debunked! So the million dollar question is how to figure out what’s the truth, acne solutions &remedies worth trying and myths better to avoid.In our quest to bust & debunk some of these common, yet considerably widespread Acne Myths, we did some old fashioned Myth Busting with the help of renowned Dermatologist & Cosmetologist, Dr. Kuldeep Singh Rohria.
Following are 9 Acne Myths that Dr. Kuldeep Singh has debunked while helping us to save ourselves disappointment by not wasting time & effort over these:
Myth1: Acne is Teenager Problem Only
Fact: Yes, you heard it right! Acne is NOT a Teenager Problem only. It is quite true that mostly teenagers are seen suffering from acne breakouts, but categorizing acne as Teenager Problem is a big myth. Even adults get acne & there is even a medical terminology for the same- ‘Adult Acne’. After a specific age group, adult acnes are found mostly in females and if left untreated, it can continue till their 40s. Home remedies can help partially but complete treatment cannot be expected from the same.
Doctor’s Advice: My suggestion for people suffering from an Adult Acne problem is to avoid stress, watch your weight, avoid hormonal pills and try to follow a good lifestyle routine. If the problem persists for a long time then visit your dermatologist.
Myth2: Oily Foods & Chocolates Cause Acne
Fact: Yes, this is definitely a myth, but before you start dancing overjoyed while eating those french fries & your big pack of chocolates, here’s the Fact. Most of the scientific surveys and studies have failed to validate a direct correlation between acne and some specific food, but (here comes the tricky part), a recent study has proposed that people who are found to have more diary, sugary and unhealthy food items in their diet, are more likely to have moderate to severe acne as compared to those with balanced diets.
Doctor’s Advice: My suggestion is to avoid junk foods, follow a balanced & healthy diet along with some regular exercise. Your skin is a reflection of your diet.
Also Try Best Anti-Aging Foods for Younger Glowing Skin
Myth3: More Washing means Less Acne
Fact: “Oh My God! You got acne breakouts? Wash your face 5-7 times a day or whenever possible”, So next time you hear someone advising you this, ask them to clear their facts as More Washing definitely doesn’t mean Less Acne. No doubt regular washing your face with a mild face wash helps to remove excess oil & dirt from your face pores making it clear, but over washing will surely lead to dryness, irritation and coarseness which can even lead to more acnes. Also avoid scrubbing your face too often.
Doctor’s Advice: As a general rule, wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser and water in a circular motion and gently pat dry when you’re done. This is sufficient enough to cleanse your skin pores.
Myth4: Using Make-Up means More Acne
Fact: Yey finally someone gave we all girls a green signal for makeup, but hold on as here comes the big asterisk of conditions from our dermatologist Dr. Kuldeep Singh – “As long as you use nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic cosmetics, these won’t cause breakouts”.Also keep in mind thick foundations and oily creams will surely clog your pores which in result will increase the acnes. Moreover, these days some cosmetics contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide which helps to fight acne.
Doctor’s Advice: Well, if your makeup is not clogging your pores, then it won’t cause acne but never sleep with your makeup on. Also avoid using cheaper cosmetic products & try to use products from good quality brands & choose water based makeup products not oil based.
Myth5: Hair Oil & Products Have Nothing to Do with Your Acne
Fact: Yes, you read it right. It’s a MYTH. Oily hair products can actually cause acne on your forehead & there is a medical terminology for the same “Pomade Acne”. So better avoid hair products with oily base and if you are oiling your scalp (& hair) then don’t keep it overnight.
Doctor’s Advice: Your hair (& scalp) gets their conditioning from oiling in 45-60 minutes. After that, you can wash your hair.
Myth6: Stress Doesn’t Cause Acne
Fact:Stress and Acne are related. Remember that acne you get before exams or just before that wedding you wish to attend? As per study, undue stress results in some hormonal imbalance in the body that sometimes led to acne.
Doctor’s Advice: Yoga is your Best Friend. Identify your Stresser & work on to De-Stress.
Myth7: Popping Acne will Clear Acne Faster
Fact: Whenever we get an acne 1st solution that comes in our minds is Popping Out that acne & make it less noticeable temporarily. But this is actually a big myth as popping out that acne will cause redness & swelling making the acne stays even longer. This can further leave acne scars, which can last for a few months while some true scars (namely pits & dents) will last forever.
Doctor’s Advice: If you get acne, forget about popping it; just follow your routine skincare.
Myth8: Moisturizers & Sunscreens will Worsen Acne
Fact: As per Dr. Kuldeep, “If you just pick the right products like physical (micronized zinc based) sunscreens and water based moisturizers then chances of worsening acne are negligible”. So the best way is to get suggestion from your doctor before starting a moisturizer &/ sunscreen.
Doctor’s Advice: Always use water based moisturizer and sunscreens but never think of skipping any of these. These both have their own roles for your skin.
Myth9: Acne will Go on its Own; Doesn’t Need Treatment
Fact:It’s true that at some point in your life you grow out of acne, but the psychological stress associated with acne and deterioration of quality of life demands active treatment for acne, especially in adult acne and people who have tendency for scar formation, as the scars once formed will stay lifelong.
Doctor’s Advice: If you have recurring acne problem, the wise thing to do is to consult a dermatologist. Because acne scars can last lifelong if not treated on time.
Bonus Myth: There is NO Cure for Acne
Fact: There is a CURE for ACNE but that depends from person to person. Since every person has a different type of breakout problem, the cure for the same varies too. But the bottom line is, Yes there is a Cure for Acne.
Doctor’s Advice: Modern day medicines, especially isotretinoin provides satisfactory cutback in acne & breakouts. But kindly do not use it without your doctor’s consultation as it can provide some side effects too if not used as prescribed.
There are various other acne myths out there but the best advice is to IGNORE them. Go & talk to your doctor about acne causes & get acne treatments that will work for you to achieve that clean, clear and flawless skin.
