To go along with the million urban myths on about what causes acne, there are just as many false or misleading treatments and cures for pimples. Some of them are harmless and simply don’t work while others can actually make your skin a whole lot worse. It is startling to think that with all of the information out there that there are still teens all over the globe that treat their acne incorrectly. Even more surprising is the fact that adults who have acne still may be following a treatment program that isn’t really doing anything to help them.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can treat your acne and how you can avoid making matters worse.
The most common, and one of the most harmful ways to treat pimples is by popping them. As most people who have had pimples know, you can’t really “pop” a pimple until it gets a “head” on it, but once it does, it is fair game. While popping your pimple may make the surface appearance go away faster, it can lead to severe scaring and it can actually make your infected pore much worse.

When you squeeze a pimple, most of the contents come to the surface and can be wiped away, but some plummets down further into the pore, making the infection worse. Pulling a pimple instead of squeezing it prevents the contents of your pimple being pushed down further into the pore, but it can still lead to skin cell damage that increases the likelihood of a scar. The best course of action is to simply use a hot compress to help bring the contents to the surface naturally, or simply let nature take its course.

So, if you can’t pop your pimples, surely you can treat them right? Major pharmaceutical companies around the world spend billions of dollars a year on marketing, development and research into the next great over the counter acne cure. Brand names like Oxy and Strydex are household names. But do these products work? Yes and no. Every person is unique, and their own particular skin makeup is going to determine if they react well to the harsh ingredients in many of the popular treatments. The biggest problem that many of these products present is the belief that if you are still getting breakouts, you aren’t using them enough.

This often leads to teens and adults overusing the products to the point where their skin becomes so dried out and so damaged that the acne actually becomes worse. That’s right. A product sold to help your acne can actually make it significantly worse if you overuse it. Follow the instructions on the back and you’ll be fine.

One of the most common acne cures that tends to work wonders is also completely free and easy to use. What is it? The hair tie, of course! While you are going through puberty, your hair tends to be just as coated with oil as your skin and the constant brushing, rubbing and touching of your hair against your face and neck can be the equivalent of you touching your face a million times per day. So it is no wonder then that many people who get acne outbreaks get them in the exact spots where their hair touches their face and neck.

You have two choices. Get a haircut so your hair isn’t long enough anymore to be in your face or use a hair tie to get your hair out of your face once and for all. Even if you shower multiple times per day and are dedicated to keeping your hair grease-free, you’ll be better off keeping it out of your face if you want to control acne.

Modern medical science has yet to come up with a cure for acne, but there are some common sense steps you can follow to help treat your outbreaks