There’s a lot of advice out there on how to treat acne. Some of it is good, some of it is a waste of time.
Here’s a list of 10 acne myths you needn’t take any notice of.
1. Scrubbing your skin with a deep cleanser daily will help to lift impurities and reduce acne. Not true. In fact, over stimulating the skin with harsh scrubs and brushes can actually make acne worse and may cause pimples to become infected. Instead use a gentle cleanser to clean the skin – like our Black Mud Mask soap – which won’t dry out the skin’s surface.
2. Steam baths and saunas will help acne. No they won’t. You’ll sweat certainly, but this won’t have a beneficial effect on your pores and won’t ‘unclog’ them.
3. Acne is something you have to put up with. No it’s not. There are some very effective medical treatments. If your acne is really getting you down, talk to your doctor who may refer you to a dermatologist. Severe acne can cause scarring – have it treated early and this could be avoided.
4. Fatty foods cause acne. A good diet is essential for your general well-being but indulging in pizza, chocolate, crisps from time to time won’t make an acne problem worse.
5. Acne can be caught by skin contact. No – it’s not infectious.
6. Acne only affects teenagers. Unfortunately acne can break out on skin at different ages – particularly at times of hormonal surges – like during the menopause.
7. Don’t use a moisturiser on skin affected by acne or you’ll make the problem worse. In fact, skin affected by acne can feel dry and uncomfortable, so after cleansing it’s important to moisturise to reduce flaking and a tight feeling. Choose a noncomdogenic moisturiser instead (and on your body you might like to try our Dead Sea Natural Mineral Body Lotion). Our Natural Mineral Facial Wash can also help cleanse the skin without leaving it feeling tight.
8. Wearing too much make up can cause spots. In fact, wearing a concealer could help acne sufferers feel more confident. Make-up won’t make acne worse but it needs to be cleaned off properly before bed and always apply make up with clean hands to reduce the spread of bacteria.
9. Toothpaste applied to a spot will dry it out. There’s nothing in toothpaste that will help to clear up spots – leave it just for cleaning your teeth!
10. Squeeze spots to get rid of acne. Squeezing can actually prolong the appearance of a spot and risk skin scarring. Leave a spot alone, apply a topical treatment (which you can buy over the counter) and a concealer if you feel self conscious about it.