Acne is not caused by poor hygiene

REALITY: Dead skin cells, oxidized skin oil (sebum), dust and dirt particles clog pores and trigger acne. Some experts claim that you should wash your face as many as three times a day to prevent acne. However, vigorous rubbing and scrubbing only makes matters worse. All you need is to keep your pores clear from dirt mixed with sebum and dead skin cells. Twice-daily cleansing with a mild non-detergent cleanser is more than enough.

Chocolate and French fries don’t cause acne

REALITY: Our diet is directly linked to the state of our skin.

Science came up with explanation how food is likely to trigger acne and make it less curable. Foods that are rich in refined sugar cause spikes in blood sugar and stimulate production of sebum. Fatty diet changes the acidity of skin sebum making it more stiff and pore-clogging. Poor diet clogs up the colon and increases the toxicity of the body.

Acne is caused by stress

REALITY: Stress lowers the immunity and our body is less able to fight the inflammation during acne. Chronic stress puts thyroid and adrenal glands of our body under lots of work.

You will outgrow your acne

REALITY: Adult acne is on the rise, with as many as 60 per cent adults reporting skin eruptions on a regular basis. Up to 90 percent of teenagers develop some level of acne; about 30 percent seek medical treatment. But many women in their 30s and even 40s have acne just as severe as teenagers. Hormonal changes, greasy or oily cosmetics or hair products, certain drugs such as corticosteroids or high levels of humidity and sweating could contribute to adult acne, according Mayo Clinic Health Letter. And you must act on acne quickly, no matter what causes it. When left untreated, acne can result in permanent physical scars which are almost impossible to get rid of. Acne leads to low self-esteem, problems in social life, even slow career growth.

Only prescription medication can cure acne once and for all

REALITY: nutrition, vitamin and herbal supplementation work with body, not against it, to dramatically improve acne condition. All prescription medication for acne work to stop the production of sebum and thus make skin dry. However, while they solve the cosmetic problem, they also mess up the more serious organs in our bodies, such as liver and kidneys. Prescription acne medications are linked to depression, and severely dry skin resulting from acne pills is prone to premature aging. Is it really worth is?

Before taking hardcore measures, try improving your skin condition with careful diet, vitamins and safe herbal supplements that have much fewer side effects than acne pills. Regular cleansing of acne-prone skin with witch hazel can help, along with facial masks they can make from milk, tomatoes, oatmeal and other foods. But of course, in severe cases of acne you should seek medical advice.

In decades past UV was used as a light source. It has the beneficial effect of killing the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria that plays a role in acne formation. But, when studies showed that UV can increase the odds of skin cancer, the treatment became much less popular.

Other forms of light don’t have that problem.

Blue Light to treat acne

One form is called ‘blue light therapy’, where the name derives from the color of the light used. The main effect is to kill the bacteria, but there is some effect on the skin oil. It can cause a slight dryness. The narrow band light contains a negligible amount of UV wavelengths.

Patients receive treatments twice per week over a period of about a month. It’s effective on forms other than more severe acne, such as those that produce nodules or cysts. The latter can actually be made worse with blue light treatment. Improvements ranged from complete remission to about 40% decrease in the number of lesions, in several studies. About two-thirds saw between a 59% to 67% reduction of inflammatory acne lesions.

Light Heat Energy to treat acne

Other forms of light therapy, such as LHE, have similar effects – they kill acne bacteria – but do so by a different means. LHE also tends to decrease sebum (the natural skin oil). Excess sebum production is considered one of the major factors encouraging acne development. This green light tends to shrink sebaceous glands.

The therapy is approved by the FDA for treating mild to moderately severe acne. Both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne can be reduced by two treatments per week over a period of one month. Drug-based treatments tend to take two or three months or longer.

In some cases, though, light treatments are combined with the use of prescription medications.

ALA to treat acne

ALA is a compound applied to the skin. It doesn’t have any of the antibacterial properties of standard acne treatments like Accutane. It works by making the skin more sensitive to light, thus increasing the effectiveness of light treatment.

It’s kept on for 15 minutes to an hour, during which the patient receives blue or red light treatment. The jury is still out so numbers are sketchy, but early results suggest the treatment is safe and effective.

Lasers to treat acne

Normal light contains waves that scatter in all directions. Laser light is called coherent because the waves all move in an organized train in the same direction. That’s one of the reasons lasers can do all the things they’re used for.

The chief difference, though, between different lasers (just as it is with other forms of light) is the wavelength. In the case of acne treatment lasers, one popular type produces waves of 1450 nm (nanometers, a billionth of a meter). This type is particularly safe and effective.

In one study, one treatment reduced acne lesions by nearly 40%. Two treatments decreased them by nearly 60% and with three the number rose to over 80%. There is some mild pain associated with the treatments, however, so a topical anesthetic is used during the procedure.

Self-treatment of acne is the most common situation. Most acne is mild enough that over the counter, non-prescription medications work fine. Combined with a regimen of overall good skin care, they will do an effective job of clearing up acne in as short a time as possible.

Benzoyl Peroxide from the drugstore

One of the most common – and most effective – treatments possible for mild acne, benzoyl peroxide is used daily by millions. It works by helping combat the bacteria that is partly responsible for acne in the first place: Propionibacterium acnes. It also helps to remove dead skin cells from the area. If those don’t move to the surface where they can be sloughed or washed off, they can accumulate, upping the odds of getting acne.

Benzoyl Peroxide has been in use for decades so the pros and cons are well known. One possible side effect is excessive drying of the skin. It can also bleach fabric, and so should be used with care when treating acne while dressed.

The risk of side effects can be minimized by using the proper amount. If a 2.5% concentration is working, don’t assume that 10% is better, or will work faster. Higher dosage only increases the odds of side effects without any compensating value.

Salicylic Acid from the drugstore

This is the active ingredient in aspirin and part of the reason this simple compound is sometimes called a miracle drug. It has many uses and is safe and effective, used properly.

Often coming in the form of soaked pads, salicylic acid helps break down blackheads and whiteheads. It slows down the process of shedding dead skin cells inside the follicle, making build up and compaction less likely. It also helps remove them. This helps prevent bacteria build up in the sebum (skin oil) inside the pore.

It should not be combined with other treatments, unless recommended by your dermatologist. Excessive skin irritation can occur.

Resorcinol from the drugstore

Resorcinol is another popular OTC medication and is effective in many cases, especially when combined with other compounds such as sulfur. It functions by breaking down hardened skin, leading to more effective removal from the follicle and the area outside. That also produces lower odds of clogging, a major factor in acne formation.

It should not be used in conjunction with astringents such as alcohol.

Alcohol and Acetone from the drugstore

Both of these common chemicals are safe, but are generally much less effective than more modern treatments. Alcohol is a mild antibacterial and helps remove oil from the surface. Similarly, acetone is a degreasing agent and helps keep the surface clear. But the excess oil (sebum) that contributes to acne lies well under surface where it lends a growth medium for bacteria and helps clog pores. Removing surface oil is of limited benefit.

The small savings over other treatments is generally money wasted, except as part of an overall skin care regimen.

Use all over the counter medications in the manner directed on the instructions. If acne persists for more than a couple of weeks, or grows worse, see a dermatologist. He or she may recommend a stronger treatment, such as a prescription medication.