Common Misconceptions About Acne

1) Acne is caused by dirty skin. Acne pimples are not caused by dirty skin but by clogged pores. In fact, if you wash your skin hard and frequently, you can actually make your acne worse. Vigorous washing and scrubbing will irritate the skin and make acne worse. The best approach to hygiene and acne: Gently wash your face twice a day with a mild soap and pat dry. Aggressive cleansing of the skin will irritate it, causing the skin to produce more oil to form a protective barrier against abuse.

2) Chocolate or fatty foods cause acne. It may seem that each time we eat certain foods our skin erupts in acne, but its not so much the specific food as it is the acidic nature of the food. The key is to balance your intake of acidic and alkaline foods, which keeps the skin in the proper pH range.

3) Stress causes acne. Stress can not cause acne, but it can make acne worse, and having acne can be very stressful. When the body becomes stressed, the adrenal cortex converts adrenal androgens to testosterone in BOTH men and women, resulting in overactive sebaceous glands. The ovaries produce 25% of the testosterone while 75% is converted from adrenal androgens in the normal female. Women only have 10% of the testosterone that men have. Men have thicker skin and muscles than women and can handle much more testosterone. When the male or female body is stressed, the adrenal androgen conversion can almost double the testosterone in both men and women. This causes the T zone of the face to be oily, while other areas are still dry from dehydration. Adult acne and rosacea are sometimes by-products of stress and/or dehydration. Water and estrogen calm the "body's stress alarm system". The most important element of acne treatment is to keep the skin (body) hydrated. Water is a most important acne treatment in that it is alkaline (pH 7.3) and can be considered a natural treatment or an almost free acne treatment.