After seeing some of the uninformed questions being asked daily on Yahoo! Answers, I realized that a lot of folks (especially young people) need a few things cleared up (no pun intended!). Today, I’d like to go over some very common acne myths and elaborate on why they are so inaccurate.

Myth #1 – Tanning can help Clear up your Acne
Although a suntan can temporarily mask acne, the sun can cause dryness and irritation to the skin, causing subsequent outbreaks in the future. In fact, there is no relationship between exposure to the sun and the prevention of acne, and the sun’s rays can cause premature aging and skin cancer. Protect your skin every time you’re exposed to the sun by choosing a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 that does not block the pores of your skin.

Myth #2 – Chocolate and Greasy Foods Cause Acne
Although eating too many sugary or greasy foods is never a good idea, research studies show that no specific food has ever been shown to actually promote acne. However, each individual is different. Some people realize that they suffer from acne after eating certain foods, and these foods tend to vary depending on each person. For example, some people develop acne after eating chocolate, while others will experience a similar outbreak after drinking too much coffee. This is widely believed to be nothing more than coincidence.

Myth #3 – Frequency of Outbreaks is Relative to how often you Wash your Face
While washing your face helps remove impurities such as dust and oil from your pores, washing your face in excess can lead to dryness and irritation, along with more outbreaks of acne. In general, you want to avoid rubbing the skin on your face as this can irritate your skin. Make it a habit to wash face twice daily with mild soap and water exerting a circular motion, and dry lightly once you’re done.

Myth #4 – Masturbation Encourages Acne
As absurd as it sounds, sadly many young people believe this to be true, and perpetuate the rumor by spreading it around. Acne is a perfectly normal part of human development for both men and women. The sudden increase in hormones for both sexes can be held accountable for the prevalence of acne in young people. This sudden spike in hormones is also what encourages the behavior of masturbation. However, there is absolutely no link whatsoever between acne and masturbation (or any other type of sexual activity, for that matter).

Myth #5 – Popping Pimples is a Great way to Treat Acne
Your skin is your first line of defense! Popping pimples may give the appearance that they have disappeared temporarily, however, doing so often causes a blemish that lasts much longer than the relatively short lifespan of a pimple. When you pop one, you may be pushing even more deeply to the bacteria into the skin, causing swelling and irritation, and sometimes causing the formation of red or brown coloring. Sometimes these marks can take months to disappear, and the subsequent scars (if you really pressed deeply on the skin) are permanent.

Hopefully this clears a few things up for those of you who are currently struggling with acne. If you’ve come here looking for safe and effective products to treat your acne, check out our featured acne creams.

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