myths about acne and their correction

1. MYTHS ABOUT ACNE

2. BLACKHEADS ARE DIRT IN YOUR PORES
-Dirts have nothing to do with
blackheads
-Skin cell turnover is a natural process
that pushes oil and debris out of your
pores
When that doesn't happen fast enough,
your pores collect a backlog of oil,
skin debris, and protein.
-Dirt is not part of the equation.
-That's why derms suggest a retinoid
vitamin A derivative to help reduce
blackheads.
The increases the turnover of skin cells,
keeping pores clear

3. PORES CAN OPEN AND CLOSE.
-This is a common misconception – cold
water “closes” pores and hot
water or steam “opens” pores
-Pores, the little holes all over your face
that are passageways that allow sweat
to cool you and sebum to condition
your skin, do not have muscles and
therefore cannot open and close.

4. -steam can help loosen the sebum that builds up in
the pore, allowing it to exit more easily.
-Exfoliating with a physical scrub as well as
with glycolic acid and salicylic acid
Even washing your face helps makes pores look
smaller as it too helps eliminate dead skin cells and
removes leftover makeup that can lodge inside pores
making them appear larger.

5. STRONGER PRODUCTS ARE BETTER
PRODUCTS
If you've spent more than 30 seconds looking at
acne products in your drugstore, you know that
benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid rule the
ingredient labels and with good reason.
These ingredients are often recommended because
benzoyl peroxide blasts bacteria and salicylic
acid unclogs your pores, tackling both problems.
Still, there's no need to go overboard, especially
when it comes to benzoyl peroxide.
A review found no difference between products that
are 2.5% benzoyl peroxide and ones that are
10%—except that stronger products may be more
irritating

6. THE SUN MAKES ACNE BETTER
-Exposure to sunlight may reduce
inflammation in your body, and since acne
is an inflammatory process, you may see
less of it initially
-Over time, the sun breaks down your skin's
collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm,
tight, and young-looking. "When collagen
breaks down, your pores have less support
around them, and they flop open
This can create blackheads, some of which
may be present for life
-sun damage makes it more difficult for the
skin to repair itself, so it increases your
risk of acne scars

7. SUNSCREEN CLOGS YOUR PORES
There are two categories of sunscreen:
chemical sunscreens: which absorb UV
light .common ingredients: oxybenzone
avobenzone) can irritate the skin, causing
inflammation and breakouts .
physical sunscreens: which reflect UV rays
(common ingredients: titanium dioxide
and zinc oxide). might actually help. "Zinc
oxide, a common active ingredient in
physical sunscreens, may kill acne-causing
bacteria

8. STRESS CAN'T CAUSE ACNE
-The pimple that surfaced just in time for
your wedding day probably wasn't an
unfortunate coincidence.
-Stress creates a hormonal imbalance in
the body,.which can lead to acne
-According to research conducted by the
Wake Forest University School of
Medicine, stressed out teenagers are
23% more likely to have severe acne.
Researchers suspect stress-induced
inflammation may also play a role,
affecting men and women of all ages.

9. MAKEUP MAKES ACNE WORSE
It's true that some products can clog your pores and
ultimately cause pimples, but the right makeup
can actually improve acne
powder-based mineral foundations with ingredients
like silica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide.
"Powder foundations absorb oils that would
otherwise be clogging your pores
If you prefer a liquid foundation, make sure it's non-
comedogenic.
That means the product hasn't been found to
promote acne per the cosmetics company's
standards

10. CHLORINE IMPROVES ACNE
It might seem like swimming dries up your
pimples. "Chlorine can dry out pimples,
but it can also irritate your skin, causing
more breakouts in the long-run
Be sure to rinse off when you're done
swimming, and use an oil-free lotion to
offset any dryness.

11. TOOTHPASTE CAN HEAL A ZIT
Toothpaste has baking soda, hydrogen
peroxide, alcohol, menthol, essential oils,
and triclosan, which, yes, can dry pimples
out
But it's not made for your skin, so it can
cause irritation and rashes." This means
you could essentially be trading one
problem for another. Instead, try a spot
treatment that contains benzoyl peroxide.
It's made specifically for your skin—and
won't leave your face smelling like
spearmint.

12. RESOURCES
http://www.medicaldaily.com/
www.health.com
http://www.proactiv.com/
http://www.info.com/