Being a teenager isn’t always easy, and it can be made a lot more complicated if you suffer from acne. It seems like everyone you talk to has a favorite story about what causes acne, or how to get rid of it. The trouble is, how do you know if what people are telling you is correct? Unfortunately there are loads of myths surrounding acne, and they get repeated endlessly despite the fact that they’re not true.

So what are some of the most popular acne myths? Well, the idea that eating chocolate and fatty foods gives you acne is one of the most popular myths. In fact, studies have shown that the only food you can eat that will aggravate acne is iodized salt. Although eating a healthy diet may help to keep your body functioning well, it’s not going to stop you getting acne. It’s possible, however, that if you get an outbreak of acne whenever you eat a particular type of food, that you in fact have a food allergy. In that case, discuss it with your health professional.

Another myth is that only teenagers get acne. Did you know that infants can get acne? And also five percent of women who are over 40 still get acne, because it’s triggered by their monthly cycle. They will continue to get it until they reach menopause. Even one percent of men still get acne at the same age.

Perhaps you’ve been told that if you just improve your hygiene, your acne will go away. Again, this is a myth. In fact, washing your face too much is likely to aggravate the blemishes, and may even make the outbreak worse. The bottom line is that it’s the overproduction of body oils that clogs the pores and causes acne, and constant washing can’t change that. Another myth is that getting out in the sun helps to dry out the excess oils, but that’s wrong as well. All you’re going to do is risk getting sunburnt, premature aging and maybe even skin cancer when you’re older.

Medications such as antibiotics are often used to clear up acne outbreaks, and very often are effective. Some people say that once the acne is gone you can stop taking the medication. In fact, this is not a good idea. Just because the blemishes have cleared up, doesn’t mean the bacteria that caused them have gone too. They may have only gone into remission temporarily. So you may find if you stop taking the medication the acne will reappear within days. Only cease the medication once your doctor advises you to do so.

Of course, some myths are good for a laugh, if nothing else. My favorite is the suggestion that sex causes acne. If it did, we’d have lots more adults with pimples! The idea that stress causes acne is another myth, although it’s likely that stress can aggravate an existing acne condition. One of the silliest myths is the suggestion that the best thing is just to leave it alone, and it’ll go away. Well, it’s certainly true that you shouldn’t touch, pop or squeeze pimples, because you spread the bacteria and make the acne worse, but there are other things you can do that will reduce the severity of the outbreak. There’s no miracle cure, but you should certainly do anything you can to help the situation.

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There are different treatments for acne scars. The most common scar treatments are dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, chemical peels, punch techniques, subcision and augmentation. Each treatment is used for certain types of scars, so a thorough examination by a highly qualified and experienced dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon will help determine the procedure or combination of procedures that is right for you.

Dermabrasion

The oldest of all resurfacing methods, dermabrasion was largely eclipsed by the laser craze of the mid 1990s, as dermatologists by the droves did away with their old dermabrasion equipment to embrace the new technology.

This is a procedure in which a rapidly rotating, abrasive metal wheel is used to mechanically remove layers of skin. It takes a skilled touch to get the best results; unskilled technique can produce an unnaturally contoured skin surface as wavy as unevenly sanded wood.

Laser Resurfacing

A common method for acne scarring is laser resurfacing. It uses a laser beam to pass through a chamber filled with carbon dioxide gas, or with Erbium, the crystal through which the beam passes. Experts regard this treatment with the carbon dioxide laser as a high standard to resurface the skin.

Chemical Peels

These peels contain higher concentrations of salicylic acid (approximately 20-30 percent) than those found in consumer products (typically 0.5-2 percent). Peels are helpful for unclogging pores, clearing acne, and improving brown spots.

Punch Techniques

Another common means of removal is called punch excision, typically used for ice pick scars. The scar is punched out of the skin with a biopsy punch instrument that looks a little like an apple corer. This leaves a tiny cylindrical hole. Depending on its size and location, the cavity is then either closed with a small suture, or filled in with what is known as a punch graft, a plug of skin taken from behind the patient’s ear.

Subcision

For large, nondistensible scars, some doctors use a method call subcision, inserting a beveled needle under the scar and moving it back and forth to cut the fibrous strands of collagen that are holding it down. This can be useful for some scars, but there are trade-off. You get a fair amount of bruising and discoloration with subcision, which can take a long time to heal.

The acne scar treatments above do work for removing scars left behind from acne. However, if you’re looking for a less invasive, quicker way to remove scars and imperfections without the bother of salons, costly procedures, or reconstructive methods, there is a simpler solution that will bring you results in a shorter period of time.

Technorati Tags: Acne pictures, Acne Redness, Acne scar cream