Acne myths have been around forever. Some acne myths live on as old wives tales and continue to persist, in spite of scientific evidence to the contrary. This article aims to address some of those acne myths and attempt to separate the fact from the fiction.

Myth #1: People who have acne are unclean and maintain poor hygiene.

This acne myth has no truth to it. Acne is caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body. Acne occurs when the oil glands responsible for keeping your skin waterproof and moist, over react to produce excessive quantities of sebum. The excessive sebum blocks the associated hair follicle, causing clogged pores, which in turn, develops into acne.

So hygiene has absolutely nothing to do with it. In fact unnecessary scrubbing of the skin can exacerbate the problem. Proper skin care is very important – wash your face gently and pat dry.

Myth #2: Eating the wrong foods will lead to acne.

This acne myth is often used. However, there is no direct evidence between what you eat and acne. The chocolates, the French fries, the cheese pizza, and all those other fatty foods that have been lambasted over the years because of their unhealthy consequences, have no affect whatsoever on your skin. Eating a well balanced diet makes sense. So while you do not have to be concerned as to whether or not your favorite treat affects your skin (at least directly), do remember that it does affect your overall health.

Myth #3: Acne is caused by stress.

Most of the stress that affect us as part of our day-to-day lives does not lead to acne. Sometimes, acne can arise as the side-effect of drugs taken to treat severe stress. Talk to your doctor to find out if your stress medication is responsible for your acne. Stress can however make an already existing acne condition worse.

Myth #4: Acne is a merely a cosmetic disease.

While acne does affect the way you look, if left untreated, it can lead to permanent scarring. This acne scarring is much more than cosmetic and can cause much more severe problems if left untreated. Acne also affects people psychologically. It is known to affect their perception of themselves, their self-esteem and confidence and their interaction with others. It can cause feelings of frustration, depression and social embarrassment.

Myth #5: Acne can not be cured.

With the multitude of acne products on the market today, there is no reason why anyone should have to suffer the agony caused by acne. The fact is, acne can be cleared up with the right medication and a regime specific to your needs. Consult your dermatologist if you have acne.

Acne flare-ups can be annoying and embarrassing but they can be treated.  There are lots of good acne treatments on the market today, so talk to your dermatologist to find out which ones will work best for you.

Acne skin care products can be classified into three broad categories:  Preventative, Over-the-Counter, and Prescription

Preventive or General Acne Skin Care Products:

Preventative acne skin care products are ones that are used as an acne-prevention measure.  These acne skin care products include cleansers, make-up removers, and similar products that help prevent acne breakouts.  For those individuals prone to acne, these products should be part of your daily routine to head off acne breakouts before they occur.

These acne skin care products work to act against the causes of acne by limiting the production of sebum (oil) and preventing clogging of your skin’s pores.  These products essentially prevent the oil from getting trapped in the pores and hamper the growth of the bacteria that leads to acne.

General acne skin care products also include exfoliation products like skin peels.  These products work by removing dead skin cells, reducing the possibility of pore-clogging and bacteria development.

Over-the-Counter or Specialized Acne Skin Care Products:

These specialized, or over-the-counter, acne skin care products do not require a doctor’s prescription.  Most of these acne skin care products are based on Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid, both of which fight against the bacteria that causes acne.  You should start with a product that contains a lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide to see how your skin responds.

Alpha-Hydroxy-Acid based moisturizers are also a popular products.  You may need to try a few to find a brand that works best for you.

Prescription Acne Skin Care Products:

These acne skin care products are prescribed by your dermatologist.  They include ointments that can be applied to the affected area, or oral antibiotics, or just about any topical treatment.  Your doctor may also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care products are known to be very effective in some cases.  Finally, your dermatologist’s may suggest a minor surgical procedure to treat your acne.

Always consult your dermatologist before trying any acne skin care products to learn of their benefits and drawbacks for your particular skin type.

Your body is an incredibly efficient healing machine, and when it’s injured, it does all it can to protect itself.  Acne is an infection, and just like getting a cut, your body responds by sending white blood cells and other molecules that help fight the infection to the wounded site.  After the healing process is complete, a scar forms at the site of the repair leaving the skin not as smooth as it was before the acne.

Let’s discuss some various types of scars and some methods that doctors use to help you looking healthy again.

Types of Acne Scars:

The first thing you should know about acne scars is that everyone has a different tendency to scar.  The same type of acne on one person may only result in minimal to no acne scarring, while the other person may experience more severe acne scarring.  Bottom line, everyone is different.

Acne scars come in two types – scars that are caused by the loss of tissue and scars that are caused by increased tissue formation.

Depressed Scars – These acne scars distinguish themselves by their loss of tissue.  Some depressed acne scars result in a rupture that can cause a loss of collagen giving rise to a deep recess or depression.  The skin above the acne scar is left unsupported due to the lack of tissue below it and a saucer shaped or jagged “Ice Pick” acne scar is formed.  Ice Pick scars are more common on the face.

Keloids – In some people, the acne scar forms in a reverse fashion.  With the loss of collagen, the body triggers fibroblasts that produce excessive collagen, producing scar tissues called keloids.  Keloids are more commonly found on male torsos. Another type of increased tissue formation scar is called hypertrophic or overgrowth acne scar.

Acne Scar Treatments:

The good news is that most acne scars can be treated by your dermatologist using various acne treatments.  Consult your dermatologist to discuss costs and the results you’re looking for from the treatment.  You need to be aware of the varying success rates for treating your type of acne scarring.

The most common treatments for acne scarring are – collagen treatment, laser treatment, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, skin surgery, and skin grafting.  Keloids may be left untreated if it is felt that further acne treatment will only form additional keloids.  Keloids can sometimes be treated with steroid injections.  Speak with your dermatologist to see what may work for you.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your dermatologist for your medical concerns.

There is no single cause for acne.  To complicate things, acne affect people in different ways.  The key is to identify the best acne solution for your skin condition.  In determining your best acne treatments, I’d like to share with you 5 of the most common tips on how to get rid of acne.

Tip #1 – Healthy Eating

One of the easiest ways to promote healthy skin is by choosing a diet that benefits your skin, and your health in general. Organic foods have been gaining in popularity for good reason.  These foods are not processed.  Harmful chemicals used in food cultivating are not used on organic foods which are free from toxins.  This is better for your skin and your health.

Some examples of unhealthy toxins include:  herbicides, pesticides, and similar items.  If you’re considering a natural approach to clearing up your acne, look to eating plenty of foods that are labeled Organic.  Consume foods that are green and leafy in the vegetable category, and fruits and nuts.  It is also important to consume items that contain a fair amount of water.

Tip #2 – Hydration

The second way to help you get rid of acne, is to make sure you are hydrated properly.  You should drink about 8-10 eight ounce glasses of water a day.  It may sound like a lot, but water is a key element in purifying the body as a whole.  The water purification will also spread to the outside of your body, the skin, helping you to experience fewer blemishes.

Tip #3 – Vitamins

Making sure that your body has the correct amount of essential vitamins and mineral can reduce the possibility of an acne outbreak.  This is another way to work on getting rid of acne.  Focus on eating foods that have high levels of vitamins A, B12, B, E, B5, & B6.  If you find it difficult to sort through all the ingredients to determine what to eat and drink, you can always purchase supplements.  Many elect to simply take a multivitamin every single day.

Tip #4 – Natural Herbs

Now-a-days, when it comes to getting rid of acne, many are turning towards natural acne products and herbs.  There are a number of herbs that have been found to assist in the reduction of acne breakouts.  Red Clover is an especially popular herb that claims to purify the blood and remove toxins from the body.  Other herbal remedies such as Dandelion Root and Alfalfa are also affective.  There are even Chinese herbs like Yang Ming and Lung Heat that can prove to be beneficial.

Tip #5 – See a Dermatologist!

The best tip has been saved for last.  The best advice anyone can give on the topic of how to get rid of acne, is to go and see your Dermatologist.  Whether you have a mild or severe case of acne, your dermatologist can best determine a course of action based on your unique skin type.  They will work with you in determining the acne triggers for your skin type as well as the best acne treatments.

Conclusion

Acne is a complex skin condition that has plagued millions and millions of people all throughout history. There are many different ways that you can approach this situation. While not all are successful for everyone, there are a few out there that can help you optimize the health of your skin.  Remember to always eat healthy and visit your dermatologist to learn how to get rid of acne.

The least enjoyable part of the whole acne experience is the possibility of acne scars.  These acne scars can remain long after the acne has been cleared from your skin.  If you’re looking for ways to avoid getting acne scars, then here are a few tips:

Prevention is Better Than Cure

If you are just starting to get acne, you may want to consult your dermatologist during this early stage to try and prevent your acne from getting worse and causing those unwanted acne scars.  Getting rid of your acne quickly will greatly reduce your chances of getting acne scarring.  A qualified dermatologist will help you determine your skin type and discuss with you the various “triggers” that often exacerbate acne.

What if I already have scars?

If you acne has already progressed beyond the initial stages of whiteheads and blackheads, you’ll need to concentrate on getting rid of the pimples and preventing acne scars.  Before you can get rid of the acne scars, you’ll need to know a few things:

What are Acne Scars?

Acne scars are usually formed when pimples either get very inflamed or do not fully heal.  Acne scars are formed when at least one of the layers of healthy skin is injured.  Within the damaged skin, your body forms new tissue fibers within the wound.  This process stops the acne bleeding, but leaves excess tissue that appears as an acne scar.

In order to get rid of acne scars, the acne scar tissue must be replaced by healthy tissue via some process or method.  The ability to completely clear-up your acne scars depends on two things:  1) The severity of the scarring, and 2) the treatment method you follow.  The more severe the acne scarring, the longer the healing process.

Treatment Methods for Acne Scars

While there are various methods on the market to assist you in healing acne scars, very few of them actually work.  As always, consult your own dermatologist to discuss which method is right for you.  Some methods have side effects that you should be aware of before starting the acne scar healing process.

Some of the more common acne scarring reduction programs are listed below:

Laser Resurfacing – Uses a carbon dioxide laser to burn away damaged skin, layer by layer.  As the outer layers of damaged skin are slowly removed, new skin cells can begin to grow and the healing process begins.  After a few weeks, a younger more healthier looking skin appears.  This is still a fairly new process, so it’s full effectiveness is still being accessed.

Dermabrasion – This process uses a spinning diamond instrument or wire brush to gradually wear down the outer layers of your skin, similar to laser resurfacing.  Over time, younger, smoother skin will replace the old skin that was removed by the abrasion.  The healing process can take up to 3 weeks.

Chemical Peels for Acne Scars – This approach applies acidic solutions to the skin to peel away the damaged layers.  The new skin that eventually forms is usually smoother.  These chemical peels range from very mild to deep penetration.  While some chemical peels can be applied at home, it is recommended to have your dermatologist perform the procedure for you.

Punch Grafts – This is most suited for those with deep or pitted acne scars.  This method involves punching a hole in your skin to remove the scar, then removing a small piece of undamaged healthy skin (usually from the area behind the ear) to replace the damaged skin.

Do These Acne Scar Treatments Work?

The acne scar treatments listed above seem to have a moderate success rate.  Ask your dermatologist which method is best for your skin type.  Each person is different.  What works for one may not be practical for another.  Be certain to address all the pros-and-cons with your dermatologist and before you know it, you’ll have healthier and better looking acne free skin.