6 Myths And Facts About Teenage Acne!

You may have heard a lot about teen acne and things related to it, especially its nature and solutions to cure this skin condition. However, there are several misconceptions about acne. Many facts regarding the cause and remedy for acne, which are commonly talked about, are incorrect. Here are some myths and facts about teen acne you should know about:

1. Tanning clears the skin: A tan may act as a temporary mask to prevent acne. However, the sun dries up the skin and irritates it. This may further lead to acne breakout. There is no link between exposure to the sun and acne prevention, and the rays of the sun can cause damage to the skin. You should always use a sunscreen while going out in the sun.
2. Wash your face to prevent acne breakouts: Washing your face helps in removing the dirt and oil from the pores of the skin. However, too much washing may cause dryness and irritation, triggering more acne breakout. You should not scrub your face and use a mild soap or a facewash to wash your face.
3. Popping pimples will help in faster elimination: Popping pimples make them less noticeable for some time, but it causes the pimples to last longer. When you squeeze a pimple, you push bacteria, dead skin cells and oil back into the skin. This causes increased swelling and reddening. It might also cause a red or brown scar, which takes a lot of time to disappear. Some of these scars last forever.
4. Stress leads to acne: The normal daily stress a teenager faces does not lead to acne. However, in the case of stressful periods, such as dealing with the death of a loved one or facing parent’s divorce, the skin produces extra oil or sebum. This does not always mean that you will get more zits and pimples.
5. Acne is curable: Acne is not curable. It is chronic in nature and may last for a very long time. It is like a continuous situation which keeps on recurring on the skin. It may come and go several times and in case you are prone to acne, you will face a hard time dealing with it.
6. Pimples occur overnight: Another common misconception regarding acne is that pimples occur overnight. The truth is that a pimple takes weeks to develop but it may surface while you are asleep. The process of acne development is a complicated one and involves four steps.

Many people think that applying cold water closes pores and hot water opens pores. This is not true as the pores present all over your face do not have muscles. They cannot open and close.