Acne Information

Ever wonder why some people are plagued by acne and others never get a zit?

In some ways, acne is just like the common cold. For instance, if you place five people in an elevator, and one person sneezes, chances are that two out of the four bystanders will “catch” a cold.

Why then, are some people more predisposed to getting colds and others seemingly immune? In this case, why do some people never get acne no matter how gruesome their diet or hapless their skin care regime?

If you have acne, you know the deal- everybody has a cream or suggestion to help you get clear skin. But how do you separate myth, medicine and folklore to find an acne treatment that works for you? That’s what researcher Parker Magin set out to do in a study entitled, A systematic review of the evidence for ‘myths and misconceptions’ in acne management.

Magin and co-researchers from the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, conclude that clinicians cannot be “didactic” when making acne treatment recommendations that are based on diet, hygiene and sunlight exposure. According to Magin, acne treatments should be individualized.

In brief, treating acne seems cumbersome because the initial causes of acne innumerable. For instance, dietary deficiencies, stress responses, hormonal imbalances have all been linked to acne. Yet, the difficulty in delivering a surefire acne cure from all of these studies lies in defining exactly what is “normal”.

For instance, excess androgen levels are considered a precursor for developing acne, yet one woman, with no incidence of acne, may register “excessive” levels of androgen while another woman battling cystic acne has “normal” levels of the hormone androgen. Then again, mega-dosing with zinc may help some teenage males alleviate severe acne while other males find no relieve with such nutritional therapies.

Just remember, you have to define “normal” for yourself. Your best defense against acne is observing yourself and noting what conditions, foods and emotions aggravate your acne situation. From there, you can use self-care to reduce acne flare-ups.

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