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It has long been believed that foods that are fried, chocolate or soda cause acne. Well, this great debate is over because it has been shown that these items have no scientific root linking them to acne.
There is no scientific evidence that shows that foods such as pizza, French fries or soda cause acne. Acne is caused by a biomechanism that causes your sebaceous glands to produce too much oil. These oils are much different than those that are used in cooking food. This myth has been around for so long because people simply believe that it is true. They cease eating foods and their skin clears up, but this can be due to a variety of other physical effects. Some people have noticed these changes and a doctor will simply tell you that if you think that is the cause then stop eating those foods. They are not going to tell you that chocolate and Dr Pepper cause acne.
It is, however, very important that you do eat healthy. There are numerous nutrition related issues that may be caused when you don’t eat a healthy diet. What you eat will not directly affect your skin, but it can cause a variety of other health problems that are much more serious than acne, such as heart disease. A balanced diet will also leave you feeling better all around. You will have more energy, slow down the effects of aging and make a healthier environment for your skin.
Acne is Not Caused by Poor Hygiene
This myth seems to make sense, but it really is not true. Acne is caused by an overproduction of sebum. This is natural oil that is essential to your skin to keep it waterproof and hydrated. A lack of cleanliness does not cause acne. In fact, the products that cause acne are located deep inside tissues that you can’t clean. Over cleaning and scrubbing your skin too much or using harsh chemicals on your skin can cause you to irritate your skin, thus increasing your chances of acne.
Proper skin care is important at all times throughout your life. If you have acne, then you want to take special care to keep your skin clean and healthy. This means that you need to protect it from too much sun and harsh cosmetics.
To clean your skin you will want to use a gentle soap or specialized skin cleaner. Wash your face with this product twice per day. Don’t scrub and aggravate the acne but clean it with a nice, soft cloth. Apply cleanser to all areas around the hairline and the neck. Rinse clean with water and pat dry your face. If you have very oily skin, then you may need to use an astringent. Use it only in the oily parts of your skin because dry skin will increase its oil production and make your acne worse. Hair care is also important and you will want to shampoo at least two or three times per week. If you have oily hair, then you will want to shampoo daily. This can help prevent scalp acne as well. Try to keep the shampoo off of your face as much as possible.
Tanning was once considered an acne treatment, but it really only dries out your skin and temporarily hides your acne. As your skin becomes accustomed to the sun, the acne will adjust and flare again. You are also risking skin damage and increasing your chances of skin cancer. Many acne medications are also prone to causing skin to be more sensitive to sunlight. This means you will need to be diligent about using sunscreen when outdoors.
The best thing you can do for your skin is not wear any make-up at all, but since we know this is not happening for many women, you will want to make your make-up selections carefully. Look for make-up that is “noncomedogenic” and avoid make-up that has an oil base. Be sure to read labels carefully when shopping. Be aware that even if it says “noncomedogenic,” it may still cause acne in some people. Be sure to wash away all make-up every evening before you go to bed. This allows your skin to breathe and provides your acne with air.
You can also look for make-up that contains products that will aid in killing bacteria that contributes to acne. In fact, this make-up can be useful in prevention as well. If you apply moderate amounts of make-up, you may be doing your skin some good. There are also several types of make-up that contain sunscreen to help prevent your face from damaging sunrays.