Top 10 Myths About Acne

There are many misconceptions related to acne that may lead to avoidable suffering. Acne is not a skin disorder but part of the life cycle. Acne is often blamed on our diet or heredity; however, it is neither of these things that cause acne. Acne manifests due to hormonal activity in adolescence and presents as spots or pimples. There are many reasons for acne to develop, but there is no single cause. Acne usually presents in adolescence as spots on the face that gradually spread to the neck, chest, and back. Acne often has a significant psychological impact and physical manifestations due to its psychological effect on young people trying to establish themselves in society. Four main factors cause acne:

Excess Oil: Acne is caused by excess oil production in the skin. There are plenty of cells in our skin that produce sebum, an oily substance. Acne results when this sebum is pushed to the surface by clogged pores become oxidized and forms microscopic plugs of dead skin and keratin known as comedones. If these become infected with bacteria, they turn into whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples. Acne may also develop if there are hormonal imbalances or triggers, such as high insulin levels, which causes increased amounts of male sex hormones called androgens.

Skin Care: Acne is not caused by dirt or poor hygiene, but clean skin usually does not have acne. Acne results when oil and dead skin cells accumulate in the pores of the skin. Acne can be challenging to treat because topically applied products cannot get into the pores needed most.

Hormonal Fluctuations: Acne may also develop due to hormonal fluctuations in adolescence that cause excess sebum production and a change in hormone levels that increase sensitivity to hormones known as male sex hormones (androgens). Acne is more common among males than females until puberty, and then after puberty, more females experience acne than males due to this hormonal instability.

Hair follicles clogged by oil and dead skin cells: Acne is characterized by clogged hair follicles. Acne develops when excess sebum and dead skin cells obstruct pores in our skin. Acne becomes a widespread problem that causes distress among many adolescents who experience physical discomfort from pimples, scars, and psychological effects of acne, including depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, anger, or inferiority complex.

Bacteria and inflammation: Acne is characterized by a skin infection caused by bacteria. Acne bacteria (Propionibacterium Acnes) also contribute to the formation of acne, as they form micro-colonies within hair follicles. Acne treatment should target causes of acne and its symptoms, such as removing excess oil from the skin and reducing inflammation.

The media propagate several myths about treatments for acne, which can be misleading for patients to understand their condition and delay recovery from this embarrassing problem. Here we examine some of these myths in detail:

Myth 1: Acne resolves after you finish growing-

Acne commonly affects adolescents between 12-24 years old but may persist into adulthood in some cases. Acne is associated with excessive sebum production, overactive androgenic hormones, and follicular micro-inflammation. Acne can be challenging to identify as various skin disorders also manifest in the same areas where acne is present. Acne may resolve earlier than usual if you experience another hormonal event such as menopause. Acne can appear at any age, such as in adults or teenagers, and affects men just as women. Acne will not always disappear after you finish growing because it can start later in life as well.

Myth 2: Acne is caused by eating greasy foods-

Acne is not your diet’s fault, nor does it necessarily mean there is something wrong with your skin when you see acne on your friend’s face or body, but none on yours. Acne can be caused by several factors such as hormonal activity, the immune system, and genetics. Causing sudden changes to your diet to try and clear up your complexion may worsen breakouts from the lack of specific essential vitamins in your body. Acne may be present on bodies that eat greasy foods but has not been caused by eating them, as some people suffer from food allergies, which can impact the skin and cause acne regardless of diet.

Myth 3: Acne is caused by poor hygiene –

Acne is thought to be a problem because it often presents itself as spots on the face due to dirt and oil-clogging pores. Acne has nothing to do with cleanliness; it is entirely natural for adolescents to have an abundance of sebaceous oils in their faces causing breakouts. Acne can also occur if you wear waterproof sunscreen or tight clothing that prevents your sebum from being released through standard methods of oil excretion. Acne is not your fault and cannot be blamed on being dirty or unclean, which only worsens acne due to body shaming from day-to-day interactions with people who may assume you are unclean or have poor hygiene.

Myth 4: Acne is caused by heredity –

Acne does run in families; however, this does not mean that it will necessarily appear on a person if their parents or other blood relatives had bad skin. Acne can also occur for no reason and even without any family members who suffer from breakouts. Acne is not hereditary but rather an individual trait that appears as a genetic mutation in some family tree individuals but not others. Acne is not your fault and cannot be blamed on genetics, which only worsens acne due to body shaming from day-to-day interactions with people who may assume you are genetically inferior or freakish in some way.

Myth 5: Acne is caused by stress –

Acne is not a product of being stressed; it can appear on people without any mental or environmental stress. Acne does not have any conclusive links to stress or anxiety. Acne is a physical condition that triggers hormones and can be dangerous if left untreated. Acne does not cause mental issues like depression but may occur due to poor self-esteem from being bullied about your acne.

Myth 6: Acne is treatable with over the counter methods –

Acne can come in many forms and may appear or worsen due to a number of external factors such as stress, weather changes, and hormonal activity. Acne will often take many forms on different body parts but is commonly found in teenagers who have hormonal Acne eruptions in their faces. Acne on your buttocks or back may be more challenging to treat with over-the-counter methods as they are much harder to reach. Acne is a medical condition that requires specialized treatment and should not be ignored, which only worsens acne due to the body-shaming you experience when people make jokes about your skin.

 Myth 7: Acne can be treated with homemade remedies –

Acne is not something that can be fixed with home remedies; it requires a specialized treatment to address the issues of Acne from hormonal imbalances and immune system problems. Acne cannot be fixed with natural remedies or homemade methods; Acne treatments will often include prescription medications that may have unpleasant side effects but are safer in the long run than leaving Acne untreated.

Myth 8: Acne cannot be cured –

Acne can be successfully treated; however, many Acne treatments cause adverse side effects and take a long time to complete their course of treatment. Acne is not untreatable; with home remedies and over-the-counter medication, it may be possible to reduce the symptoms and prevent the occurrence of Acne. Over-the-counter medication rarely cures Acne entirely, but they can help reduce the severity of breakout and keep acne at bay once you have cleared up your Acne condition with other more specialized methods such as prescription medications.

Myth 9: Acne causes depression –

Acne is not caused by or linked to mental illnesses like anxiety or depression, while stress will aggravate Acne and may cause Acne to flare up due to the physical toll that Acne takes on the body. Acne does not cause mental illness or trauma; Acne can be traumatizing for some individuals who are left feeling depressed and worthless because of being teased about their skin. Acne is a condition that should not be blamed on depression; Acne and Depression often occur together from poor self-esteem.

Myth 10: Spot treating pimples is the best way to clear acne –

Acne can be an underlying condition that creates different types of pimples. Acne appears in many forms and can occur in other parts of the body. Acne will often form a cluster of Acne cysts or nodules that require treatment to clear Acne on these areas. Acne cannot be treated with spot treatments as it is not a condition that affects only one area. It means you may have to treat Acne with prescription medications like antibiotics and creams applied topically.

There are many myths related to acne. It is essential to treat acne as soon as possible and get rid of complications of acne. There are certain complications of acne that can affect your skin and body. Here is the list of acne complications:

1. Acne Scars: Acne scars are most common among teenagers and young adults. Acne scar treatment is a tedious process, and one needs to follow this for two years to get desired results. Acne scars can be treated by deep chemical peels, derma roller, and collagen induction therapy.

2. Acanthosis Nigricans: Acanthosis nigricans involves brownish skin lesions under the chin area, which gradually spreads all over the body, causing severe itching sensation since it is caused due to insulin resistance. Acanthosis nigricans can be treated with laser therapy or cryotherapy.

3 Acne Rosacea: Acne rosacea occurs mainly in the adult population, and those people who have fair skin with flushed red faces are more prone to suffer from this condition. Since acne rosacea is caused due to dilatation of blood vessels on the skin, it results in bumps filled with pus formation on the nose, cheeks.

4. Skin Changes: Acne can affect the skin in many ways and leave permanent changes to it. Acne scars are the most common changes that occur on facial skin. Acne scars often develop due to a lack of proper acne treatment.

5. Skin Pigmentation: Acne may lead to hyperpigmentation in dark-skinned people, but no such case has ever been reported among fair-skinned people suffering from acne. Hyperpigmentation occurs when melanocytes produce too much melanin. Acne also causes hypopigmentation or loss of skin colour. It is caused due to a decrease in the production of melanin in the body. Pale-skinned people are most prone to hypopigmentation.

Homeopathy treatment for acne:

Unlike conventional treatment, homeopathy does not aim to suppress symptoms but stimulate the body’s self-healing ability. As a result, it is not likely to have any side effects.

Homeopathy treats acne as well as its accompanying symptoms, including backache, headaches, and premenstrual irritability.

Homeopathy treatment uses remedies that are prescribed to match the specific causes of your acne. For example, if it’s due to excess acidity in the body, you’ll be prescribed a remedy with high alkaline content.

Homeopathy treatment is a safe, complementary therapy that has been used successfully to treat all types of acne for over 100 years. It works by stimulating the body’s healing ability and thus treats symptoms in more than one way as conventional medicine does not.

Homeopathy treatment treats the underlying cause of acne. The homeopathy medicine for acne treats the symptoms and entire being. Once you have seen a homeopath, your skin may start to clear up within a week or so. But it will take a few months before you see long-lasting results.

Homeopathy treatment for acne treats the root cause of acne and not just the symptoms. Conventional acne treatment often involves antibiotics and medications that may cause side effects.

Homeopathy treatment is safe to use alongside conventional acne treatments, such as Roaccutane or anti-bacterial tablets.

It would help if you took Homeopathic treatment under observation of homeopathy from your doctor before taking homeopathic remedies. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy and gain the benefit of homeopathic acne treatment.