As with most conditions there is a lot of information available about acne and what causes it and this information tends to be a mix of both fact and fiction. Thus, let us look at some of those things that are being circulated and see if we can separate the fiction from the fact.
Food
First of all there is no direct connection between eating such things as greasy cheeseburgers and chocolate or drinking excessive soft drinks and getting spots. It is true however that food plays a role in all the body’s systems and so it does have a small part in whether developing acne is more or less likely.
For example, eating greasy foods does not directly translate into increased oil production within the sebaceous glands that contributes to acne, but foods that do contribute to an increase in oil production would of course have an effect. However, iodized salt is the only food substance which has been shown to have any measurable effect and it only exacerbates existing acne but does not cause it.
Cleanliness
The chances of developing a spot rise when a pore becomes plugged and bacteria are trapped inside. What this means is that hygiene habits that work to close the pores can play a role. However this effect is only very small and the dead skin cells and bacteria that become trapped and are unable to work their way out of the pore to the surface are influenced only to a minor degree by insufficient regular face washing.
But, once acne occurs good skin care is particularly important and mild cleansing two times a day with soap and water helps in treating acne and encouraging healthy skin in general. Cleanliness is a good idea for many reasons although it is most helpful in treating acne by providing a good surface allowing medications to work most effectively.
Spots are greatly influenced by excess production of skin oil (sebum) which is triggered in the main by hormones and harsh cleansers which are applied roughly do not just clear away any excess oil but also affects the skin’s ability to deal with it.
Stress
As stress tends to weaken the body’s immune system and also influence its hormone levels it could be thought that stress should play a role in the onset of acne. However, there is no evidence to suggest that stress can cause acne, but there is some evidence to suggest that it may play a minor role once acne has arrived.
One problem with assessing the role of stress is that people who suffer from chronic stress also also suffer from other health problems that complicate things. Remember also that here we are talking about clinical stress and not merely the worries that we all experience as part of the ups and downs of everyday life.
Medicine
A lot of individuals are tempted to raise the dosage of over-the-counter medications in the belief that if a little medicine can do a little good a lot will do a lot of good. Unfortunately, this is not the case and it is both a waste of medicine and might actually harm the skin. You should always stick to the instructions on any medicine and if any medication does not show signs of working within two or three weeks then it is a good idea to seek the guidance of a dermatologist.
It is also worthy of note that there is no such thing as the best acne medicine. Each of us is different and a medication which proves to be the best acne medication for one individual will not necessarily work for somebody else.
Comments on this entry are closed.