Myths and Facts of Teenage Acne
Teenage acne strikes over 85% of teenagers, yet most people have no idea exactly what causes teenage acne. In many cases what most people know about teenage acne is really only a number of myths. However, scientists know enough to tell what can and what can not cause it. Read on.
Diet affects acne. (myth and fact)
One of the most common beliefs about teenage acne is that it is the result of an improper diet. In facts, in most cases diet has little or no effect on teenage acne. While one of the US studies shows a connection between a high-carbohydrate diet and some forms of acne, it is not a simple cause-effect connection. The disease will not go away just because chocolate is dropped as a snack food.
Exercise leads to acne. (myth)
Too much exercise is also supposed to increase teenage acne. At first glance, it seems logical - acne is connected to oily skin and you sweat a lot during physical exercises. But again, there is no connection between doing exercises and teenage acne. Acne will not get better if we stop running.
Dirt leads to acne. (myth)
Dirt was also pointed out as a cause of acne. At first glance, it seems logical. Teenage acne is the result of clogging the skin pores, and dirt certainly can do that! However, washing can not cure teenage acne. In most cases the pores are clogged by dead skin cells instead of dirt.
Sex and acne. (myth)
Another common myth is that sexual activity (or lack of it) can cause acne. While teenage acne and the first sexual encounters usually start at about the same time, there is no cause-effect connection between them. They have nothing to do with each other.
Physiological reasons (fact)
The real causes of teenage acne are purely physiological. During growing up process male hormones (they exist in both male and female) over-stimulate the oil-producing glands. The oil impedes the rate of dead skin cell shredding. Dead cells are stuck in the pores and they prevent oil from leaving the skin. This creates a perfect place for acne bacteria to grow and multiply. This quickly leads to inflammation and spots. As you see, teenage acne comes and goes along with hormone activity during the teenage years.
Now you know the facts and myths concerning teenage acne. And know what to do and what can not do to prevent teenage acne. |
