Acne is one of the biggest problems and one of the most frequently talked about issues surrounding skin care and overall health in general. Since there is so much talk going around about acne, there are also a lot of myths that surround it. Let’s uncover some of these acne myths to get you pointed in the right direction:

1. Chocolate will enhance your chances of getting severe acne.
There are many teens that steer clear of chocolate because they are under the belief that it will in someway enhance their chances of getting acne. Nothing could be further from the truth however. While eating too much chocolate, or any other sugary/ fattening food for that matter, is never a great idea, chocolate will not aid in the spreading of acne in any way.

However, it is true that certain individuals notice breakouts after particular foods. It is possible that a person may notice they break out after chocolate binges but that doesn’t mean that the general population will. Acne can many times be a very individualized thing.

2. Sun tanning will clear up the skin.
There are many people out there that operate under the belief that by tanning they are clearing up their pores, therefore erasing any chances of acne. There is actually no connection between the sun exposure and acne but it is proven that too much sun (unprotected) can aid in premature aging and certain cancers (mainly skin cancer).

Getting a tan however does leave a temporary feeling of acne prevention because it masks the acne that was previously on the skin, making it appear as if you never had acne in the first place. However, this is just a temporary cure because the acne will soon adapt around the tan and new pores will take their place.

3. Popping pimples get rid of them forever.
Nope, by standing by the mirror, attacking your pimples with a needle you won’t be getting rid of them any faster, in fact, you’re probably enticing it to stay around longer. There are many people that believe that by popping blackheads when they first appear they will be getting rid of them forever.

However, by popping them you are in fact pushing the bacteria back further into your skin giving the pimples a deeper root to start from. Plus, popping pimples can lead to scarring the skin tissues around them making marks that will stick around for months.

4. By washing your face more you’ll have less pimples. Everyone should wash their face on a consistent basis because it clears up all the dirt and oil that tends to build up. If you have oily skin it is that much more important to wash your face because the extra build- up of oil can lead to irritation and even more oily pores.

Washing your face will only keep it clean, not eliminate the chances for pimples. One thing to keep in mind about this is to not scrub your face, wash it gently. By scrubbing you are irritating the skin and forcing it go against the grain, which could result in a breakout.

5. Keep using acne products if you experience breakouts. People operate with the feeling of the more the better. When it comes to acne medication if you have this mentality you will probably run into some problems with reoccurring blemishes and even bigger pimples.

Here’s why: The more acne medication you use, the drier your skin will. The acids within the medication can force your skin to be irritated (if you use too much) and in the long run this will probably create more blemishes then when you started. Only use the recommended amounts.

Having acne can be a tough problem for many people, especially those in their early teens, because they see it as unsightly and ugly. Acne can be improved over time but don’t fall prey to the myths above.