Acne Myths

Many of the problems facing those who are trying to deal with 

acne are the pervasive sources of misinformation out there 

regarding the causes of acne. Despite the numerous valid 

sources of information on and about acne that are now 

available, these myths persist and are passed on by word-of-

mouth to those unfortunate enough to suffer from the 

disease.  Rather than finding solutions and treatments to 

alleviate the symptoms, problems are often compounded. Ill-

advised treatments based off these myths can have less than 

effective results and can often do further damage in the case 

of severe acne.  

In light of the influence that these myths can have on both 

understanding acne in general and the courses of treatment 

in particular, it would be wise to start with a quick overview of 

some of the more common myths that are out there, 

dispelling the misinformation with the truth about them. After 

this we can move on to the question of what the actual 

causes of acne might be. 

  Myth #1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene. 

It doesn’t matter how often, how ritually, you scrub your face 

and other areas affected by acne; this has no bearing on 

either the status of current a breakout or the creation of new 

problems. In fact, this sort of rigorous regimen of washing 

and scrubbing can actually irritate skin and make the acne 

worse, not better.  Though you may have heard so from well-

meaning parents growing up or some other misinformed 

person, acne is not caused by poor hygiene.  This doesn’t 

mean that hygiene isn’t important. In fact, good hygiene can 

help reduce the effects of acne if used in conjunction with 

acne treatment products. Rather than frequent, harsh 

washing, it is generally recommended that you wash your 

face twice to three times a day with mild soap and then pat it 

dry - don’t scrub dry.  

  Myth #2: Acne is caused by diet. 

“Don’t eat chocolate, it will give you pimples!” “They say that 

eating greasy foods can give you zits.” Most of you have 

heard these and other similar statements before, right? What 

they are saying, in effect, is that what you eat can cause 

acne. But, what they are saying isn’t true. It is a myth, one of 

the more popular ones actually, about the causes of acne. 

Extensive scientific research has been conducted, searching 

for possible correlations between one’s diet and a possible 

cause of acne, and have not found anything conclusive. 

However, each of us is different. Some people notice that 

breakouts are worse after eating certain foods--and the kinds 

of food differ with each person. For example, some people 

may notice breakouts after eating chocolate; while others 

have no effects with chocolate. Instead, they notice 

breakouts occurring after they drink too much coffee or 

caffeine. These are just examples but they might be worth 

heading. If there is some sort of food or drink that might be 

affecting your acne, then cut back and see if that helps. 

  Myth #3: Acne is caused by stress. 

Stress is not a direct cause of acne but it is true that some 

types of stress can cause the body to produce a hormone 

called cortisol, which can irritate existing acne. Indirectly, 

some medication that we take to alleviate or control extreme 

stress or emotional problems like depression can be factors 

in the production of acne. In fact, some medicines have acne 

listed as a possible side effect.  

  Myth #4: Acne will go away on its own. 

This is generally not true and acne needs treatment in order 

to be cleared up. With the selection of acne treatment 

products available today there is no reason not to investigate 

and find what has the best results for those concerned. In 

some cases, a dermatologist should be consulted and other 

forms of treatment can be pursued.  

   

  Myth #5: Tanning clears up skin. 

In fact, this has the reverse effect. At first it may seem that 

the latest bake in the tanning bed or sunbathing has 

improved your complexion, but in fact the tan may only have 

masked or covered the acne. In reality, the sun can make the 

skin dry and irritated and this can lead to more breakouts. On 

another note, if you do tan, make sure that you are using a 

sunscreen that doesn’t contain oils and other chemicals that 

might clog up your pores and cause acne to get worse. (Look 

for noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic on the label.) 

  Myth #6: Popping Zits Will Make Them Go Away 

Faster 

Again, though this seems true, it is another myth. Rather than 

speeding up the process of healing, this action actually 

prolongs the situation as popping the whitehead caused the 

bacteria inside to be pushed deeper into the skin, which 

allows more infection to grow, and ultimately leads to 

scarring.  

  Myth #7:  Only Teenagers get acne. 

The truth is that about 25% to 30% of all people between the 

ages 25- 44 have active acne. So the idea that acne is only a 

problem for teens is yet another myth.  

After covering these myths, it is important to note, that these 

are not all of the myths that are out there, circulating in the 

popular health magazines and on the Internet. No, not by a 

long shot. There are dozens more where these came from. 

The reason for their inclusion in this book is to help you, the 

reader, understand that the topic of acne has grown more 

complicated as new sources of information, both good and 

bad, have become available and that one must be very 

careful about researching the topic and deciding what 

sources to trust.