Blackheads
Acne myths
Despite being one of the most wide spread skin conditions, acne is also one of the most poorly understood. There are many myths and misconceptions about it:
"Acne is caused by a poor diet"
So far, research hasn't found any foods that cause acne. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is recommended because it's good for your heart and your health in general.
"Acne is caused by having dirty skin and poor hygiene"
Most of the biological reactions that trigger acne occur beneath the skin, not on the surface, so the cleanliness of your skin has no effect on your acne. Washing your face more than twice a day could just aggravate your skin.
"Squeezing blackheads, whiteheads and spots is the best way to get rid of acne"
This could actually make symptoms worse and may leave you with scarring .
"Sexual activity can influence acne"
Having sex or masturbating won't make acne any better or worse.
"Sunbathing, sunbeds and sunlamps help improve the symptoms of acne"
There's no conclusive evidence that prolonged exposure to sunlight or using sunbeds or sunlamps can improve acne. Many medications used to treat acne can make your skin more sensitive to light, so exposure could cause painful damage to your skin, and also increase your risk of skin cancer.
"Acne is infectious"
You can't pass acne on to other people.
Acne myths
Despite being one of the most wide spread skin conditions, acne is also one of the most poorly understood. There are many myths and misconceptions about it: "Acne is caused by a poor diet". "Acne is caused by having dirty skin and poor hygiene". "Squeezing blackheads, whiteheads and spots is the best way to get rid of acne"
Introduction
Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point. It causes spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that's hot or painful to touch. Acne is most common in girls from the ages of 14to 17, and in boys from the ages of 16to 19. Most people have acne on and off for several years before their symptoms start to improve as they get older.
Causes
Teenage acne is thought to be triggered by increased levels of a hormone called testosterone, which occurs during puberty. More than 80% of cases of adult acne occur in women. It's thought that many cases of adult acne arecaused by the changes in hormone levels that many women have at certain times.
Diagnosis
Your GP will be able diagnosis acne by looking at your skin. This will involve examining your face, chest and back for the different types of spot. How many spots you have and how painful and inflamed they are will help determine how severe your acne is. This is important in planning your treatment.
Treatment
Treatment for acne depends on how severe it is. It can take several months of treatment before acne symptoms improve. If you just have a few blackheads, whiteheads and spots, you should be able to treat them successfully with over-the-counter gels or creams (topical treatments) that contain benzoyl peroxide. See your GP if your acne is more widespread, as you probably need prescription medication.
Complications
Acne scarring can sometimes develop as a complication of acne. This is more common when the most serious types of spots burst and damage nearby skin. Once subscision has been completed, additional treatment, such as laser treatment and dermabrasion, can be used to further improve the appearance of the scar.
What can I do if I have acne?
The self-help techniques that may be useful: Don't wash affected areas of skin more than twice a day. Frequent washing can irritate the skin and make symptoms worse. Wash the affected area with a mild soap or cleanser and lukewarm water. Very hot or cold water can make acne worse. Don't try to "clean out" blackheads or squeeze spots. This can make them worse and cause permanent scarring . Avoid using too much make-up and cosmetics.
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