We’ve all had them. Zits. Pimples. Pus pockets. Pizza
toppings. Mirror breakers. Blemishes. Whatever you call them,
you’ve had ‘em. Some of us more than others. This pervasive,
common affliction is certainly problematic. How many first
dates, job interviews, high school reunions, weddings, and
public appearances have had added angst due to this common
skin ailment? I see hundreds of pimples all day long and I hear
all kinds of questions and statements about zits. Allow me to
address some of the most common acne inquiries….
1. Is my acne caused by poor hygiene?
You don’t need a doctor to tell you that you shouldn’t
go days without exposing your body to soap and water. Nor
should the guy next to you on the T have to deal with that.
Sure, washing is good for you, but filth does not cause acne.
It has been shown that acne improves the most with washing
the face twice a day. Washing more than that can actually aggravate acne. That pimple you have today…well, it probably
didn’t come out because you fell asleep without washing your
face. Furthermore, scrubbing your face four times a day with
an electric, handheld, expensive, oscillating scrub brush
probably won’t help either. Keep it simple, just wash twice
a day – morning and night, and don’t put too much stock
into your cleaning routine.
2. Is there anything else I can do, I’ve even tried
ProActiv?
I’m baffl ed that so many people think a product they
bought from an infomercial is the optimal medical treatment
for their skin. When I hear this question, I usually ask what
prescription products have been tried. Often, the answer
is, “none.” I’m not saying that the ingredients in ProActiv
are worthless, I’m just saying that not only is it costly, but
there are a lot of other treatments options available, including prescriptions. Tons of prescription pills, creams, and
washes can be used to help battle blemishes.
3. Is acne caused by something in my blood?
It could be, but odds are that it is not. There are a
few people with irregular hormone levels that can cause or
exacerbate acne. Women with excess hair growth, irregular
menstrual cycles or a deepened voice should be screened for
hormonal imbalances. Aside from these individuals, there is
nothing “in the blood” that we know of that causes acne.
4. Should I change my diet? Should I drink more
water?
A lot of recent studies have addressed the possible link
between acne and food. There is no defi nitive food that
has been proven to cause acne. A diet consisting solely of
french fries and chocolate has not been proven to cause acne
but is nonetheless bad for your waistline. Drinking more
or less water has never been shown to alter acne breakouts.
For most people, diet changes will not affect their skin, but
we still don’t understand exactly how nutrition may alter
the skin.
5. Why am I getting this? I’m 34!
I don’t know. Really, I don’t have an answer to that.
Acne continues to be a common problem into adulthood
(sometimes even past the age of 50), especially in women.
So we know that a lot of adults get acne, but we don’t know
why. Luckily, dermatologists have a lot of treatments to offer.
Don’t just buy into an infomercial, see your dermatologist.
That Pimple Popper, MD can offer you a lot of treatments
and save another zit from happening.

Dr. Emmy Graber is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology
at Boston University School of Medicine and a Dermatologist at Boston Medical Center (BMC). She is Director of
the Cosmetic and Laser Center at both the Commonwealth
Avenue and the BMC locations. Dr. Graber practices both
general and cosmetic dermatology and writes extensively on a
variety of dermatology topics and is often an invited lecturer
at national dermatology meetings.

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