Acne Myths – Acne and Hygiene

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.

Instead of finding solutions and treatments to mitigate the symptoms, problems are often compounded. Ill-advised treatments based on 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.

This topic is broken into 3 pages and what you are reading is the first page or rather the first myth.

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.

Acne Myth Series
Part 1 - Acne and Hygiene
Part 2 - Acne, Diet And Stress
Part 3 - 4 Other Acne Myths

Acne Guide 101

What Is Acne

Types Of Acne

Acne Myths

Causes Of Acne