There are endless myths circulating about acne, so its hard to keep straight what is "truth" and what is a "myth." Dr. Eric Schweiger notes that "It is important to learn about acne, because it is something that nearly 100% of people experience at some point in their lives. At the Clear Clinic, we aim to teach our patients the truth about acne."
Here is a quick primer on the truth about acne:
Acne is NOT contagious - p. acnes bacteria (the bacteria that causes acne) is on everyone's skin. Acne develops when the ideal conditions exist for p. acnes bacteria to congregate in the pores.
Do NOT wait to outgrow acne - it is important for teenagers to
visit a dermatologist for proper treatment of their acne. Waiting to outgrow acne can result in years of acne and potentially the development of permanent acne scars.
Acne may be diet related - the jury is still out, but recent studies suggest a possible acne link between dairy products and foods with a high glycemic index. We recommend that patients pay attention to their diet and avoid foods that seem to be contributing to their acne.
Laser and light treatments do treat acne most quickly than prescription treatments alone. We commonly recommend a combination of in-office laser and light treatments with prescription medications and at-home devices.
You do NOT have to be stuck with your acne scars - new fractional laser resurfacing technology can stimulate the production of your own collagen to fill in pitted acne scars.
