Acne is the most common skin disease in America and even though 50 million Americans suffer from it many myths and misconceptions keep people from having a clear idea about acne treatments. One of the most common myths about acne is once you have it there’s not much you can do about it so you just have to let it run its course. But our skin doctor in Atlanta knows that letting it run its course may not be the best advice. If you allow it to run its course permanent scars can form and dark spots can appear.
Common Myths
• Tanning can help clear up the skin. Although a tan may hide acne for a short time, the sun can irritate the skin, which can lead to more breakouts later on. In addition, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer and premature aging.
• Constantly washing your face reduces breakouts. While washing removes dirt and oil from your pores, washing too often may result in irritation and dryness, which in turn can cause more breakouts. Scrubbing your face is to be avoided as this may also irritate the skin. The general rule is to wash your face morning and evening with mild soap and water and gently dry it.
• Popping pimples will make them go away faster. It may not appear as noticeable for a while but popping it can prolong the pimple’s life. Another problem with squeezing pimples is you are actually pushing the bacteria and dead skin cells further into the skin which causes more redness and swelling that can lead to scars. Scarring usually occurs after deep infections and less often from superficial acne.
• Makeup causes acne. There are cosmetics that are noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic, which means they don’t clog pores. Some cosmetics have salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide as ingredients to help reduce acne. There are also colored benzoyl peroxide creams that cover the pimples while treating them at the same time.
If you have moderate to severe acne you should talk to our skin doctor in Atlanta about suitable cosmetics. We may ask you to stop wearing cosmetics for a while or to use certain brands that won’t aggravate your acne. Keep in mind that products labelled nonacnegenic or noncomedogenic may still cause irritation or breakouts, in which case you should stop using them and consult our specialist. You also need to be careful to follow our specialist’s instructions if you are taking prescription acne medicine and bear in mind that some medications will need eight weeks before a real difference can be seen. Contact Premier Dermatology in Alpharetta, GA today to schedule your consultation!