Acne & spots - Common beliefs

Acne & spots

Common beliefs – true or false?

Acne is caused by not washing properly. False. Washing is irrelevant (though over-washing can sometimes make the skin too sensitive to use anti-acne medications).

Stress worsens acne. Probably true, though some experts think it is because we fiddle with our skin more when we are stressed. A study of students found that acne was worse at exam time (Archives of Dermatology 2003;139:897–900).

Eating chocolate, sweets or fried foods gives you spots. False. There is no scientific evidence for this.

Drinking lots of milk worsens acne. Possibly true, at least for women (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2005;52:207–14). (But remember that milk is good for building strong bones.)

Masturbation, too much sex or too little sex worsens acne. False – total myths!

You can ‘catch’ acne by skin contact, or by using the same flannel or towel as someone with acne. False. Acne is not infectious.

Greasy hair causes spots. False. The hair is greasy for the same reason that the spots are present (which is overproduction of sebum).

Acne is worse premenstrually. True. Many women notice their spots are worse during the week before a period. Some women find acne improves during pregnancy, while others find it gets worse.

Acne runs in families. True. You are more likely to get it if one of your parents had acne.

Acne affects only the face, chest and back. False. Although these are the most common sites, acne can affect almost any part of the body.

Acne usually clears up on its own. True. In most people, acne will clear up on its own after 7 or 8 years. But there is no need to wait that long, as effective treatments are available.

Acne always disappears in the late teens/early 20s. False. Many 40-year-olds have acne and, in a few people, acne can persist into their 50s and 60s (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 1999;41:577–580).

Adults do not get acne. False. Some adults develop acne for the first time in their 30s, or women may develop it as part of the hormone changes at the menopause. In the past 30 years, severe acne has become less common in teenagers and more common in adults – no one knows why.

Taking drugs causes acne. Partly true. The drug ecstasy can cause an outbreak of acne; the spots last for several days. Inhaling solvents can produce spots around the mouth and nose.

If you are a male with teenage acne, you are more likely to have a heart attack in later life. False. In fact you are probably slightly less likely to have heart disease than men who have never had acne (American Journal of Epidemiology 2005;161:1094–1101).