Acne Myths, Finally Some Facts

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Title: Acne Myths, Finally Some Facts

Word Count: 574

Author: Forgan

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Acne Myths, Finally Some Facts

Copyright 2005 Forgan

Acne is a common skin condition, which can be extremely

mild or quite disfiguring. Having had a rather bad case as

a young adolescent, I know the kind of socially

embarrassing consequences it can have for the victim but I

also remember it being sore and painful, filling my life

with discomfort. It lingered a long time until I went to a

dermatologist who used a type of freezing process,

mechanically removing excessive puss from the lesions in

relatively non-painful way. There were also topical

notions. The result was total success, without scarring.

Until I went to a dermatologist, though, there was little

or no gain in getting rid of this foul condition. I, like

other children, were subject to disturbing concepts of its

origins. Although this was a long time ago, these myths

have stayed around- often causing grave delays in seeking

treatment.

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

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.” As I myself know too well, acne can

linger for years and get worse and worse. At the end of my

experience, my acne was very disfiguring and covered my

whole face and part of my neck. It was hard to keep my

hands off this uncomfortable, scaly, itchy and sore

condition. I was certainly a candidate for scarring. I had

a kind of skin emergency and I am glad that my parents were

smart enough and lucky enough to get me to the right place

at the right time.

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.

About the Author:

Learn more about acne today at http://www.acne-saviour.com