Friday, January 12, 2007

Skin Care - Myths About The Causes And Treatment Of Acne


When it comes to health and skin care, acne is one of those skin care problems that has as many myths about its causes and treatments as there are real treatments. Whilst anything about the human body has many myths, acne seems to be the most common of those health problems with a variety of myths, probably because it is something that a majority of people have to go through at one time in their lives. Since myths about acne have been prevalent over time, the only way to do way with them is with proper awareness about acne in order to know the true causes and treatment options that are available today.

Some of the most common myths about acne can include any of the following:

Myth 1: Only the Doctor can help you Treat your Acne

This statement is general not totally true and depends on the type of Acne you actually have as some types of acne may not need any professional medical treatment or advice and can be treated quite easily from the comfort of the home by the same individual.

Should the acne of the type that is called cystic acne, then a doctors treatment and professional expertise will be required as this type of acne is a painful type which tends to leave many scars that may last for life. Cystic acne is deep in the skin and leaves red sores that can be extremely painful and can only treated with prescription medicine that is prescribed by the skin specialist and time.

However, if the acne is more of the regular types with little whiteheads and don't normally hurt then these can be treated at home by any individual. These types of acne also do not leave scars as they disappear which makes it easier for anyone to treat it themselves.

While you do not always have to see your skin doctor, it does not mean that you shouldn't seek advise from them as any questions you may have can be answered by them.

Myth 2: Only Teenagers or Young Adults Get Acne

This is False! Anyone, whether they are male or female can get acne at anytime in their lives. Even though it is through the new hormones that are going around a teenager's changing body that makes them prone to acne, it is not caused by age. The primary cause of acne is the bacteria in the pores of the skin that get infected in many different ways. Cleanliness and personal hygiene has as much to do with acne as age. With skin that is kept unclean, it is more likely to get acne in it's many forms such as pimples, zits and spots, so keeping your skin relatively clean is important in it's prevention of bacteria infection. Myth 3: Scrubbing your face is needed when you wash It.

This is Generally False. You should actually wash your face or skin gently, scrubbing is not recommended as the skin is very sensitive. The use of warm water (not very hot) is ideal. You should also pat your skin dry and not scrub it dry with a towel. Knowing the proper way to take care of your skin helps prevent acne and in many cases it is through the basic hygiene that acne is prevented and treated.

Myth 4: Alchohol based solutions work better in removing Acne.

This is Wrong! Some over the counter acne treatment products that smell of alcohol or have an alcohol base are sometimes too harsh to be able to treat your acne properly and safely. Whilst it may get rid of oils and excess dirt on the skin, they also tend to take away part off or even all of the sebum on the skin which just happens to be the body's natural oil that keeps your skin healthy. When your body skin looses sebum, the body counteracts this loss by reproducing sebum in even larger quantities in order to compensate for the loss of sebum. It is more advisable to use gentle skin cleansers or moisturizing agents and soaps in order to remove the excess dirt and oil, and this is much safer for your skin and is a healthier habit.

Conclusion.

No matter what type of acne you have, it is better to know the common mistakes that have been happening in the past and be proactive in the ensuring that you do not commit the same by obtaining the proper and correct knowledge. This information can be taken either from your skin specialist (dermatologist) or by doing extensive research in the library or on the internet. Knowing what the correct practices are will help you with improving your skin health and even perhaps save time and money that you would have spent following myths.

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