Yet Another Acne Mythbusting Article

Living in the Philippines is an interesting experience. When talking to older folks, it’s fascinating to hear them talk about what their parents taught them, and comparing it to today’s information, especially when it comes to beliefs, it gets very weird or even funny. They range from weddings, housekeeping, hygiene, and even beauty treatment specifically acne scars or acne in general.

And by very weird, this comes to mind:

“Kapag may pimples, ipunas ang dugo ng regla sa mga ito para mawala agad, at hindi ka na magkakataghiyawat pa kahit kalian.”

Translation: When there are pimples, wipe the blood from menstruation on the pimples to immediately get rid of them, and you will never have pimples ever again.

Wait, what? You read it right, and it’s even disgusting to do so in the first place, so nope, nope, and nope. That tip above will make your acne worse because it’s unhygienic.

The Philippines sure got loads of weird beliefs, but enough about that. The internet and science have you backed up, and you won’t need to hear about baseless claims anymore. You can search for answers for acne scar treatments and medically backed tips in just a few seconds.

While the internet has the answers about your acne problem, not everything is 100% true. These are the biggest myths about acne, and there are facts to prove or disprove them.

Now to do some myth-busting:

1. Stress can cause acne – Nope 

This has more to do with anxiety and stress which can worsen blemishes. Some people pick their skin or even the pimples compulsively when stressed out, and that will exacerbate the problem and can even produce acne scars as a result. This is called Acne Excoriee.

So no, stress won’t cause new ones but can worsen it when you already have acne.

2. Chocolates can cause acne - Nope

No, it won’t, and never will, especially for dark chocolate. But a diet with high sugar and fat content will increase sebum production due to cravings during PMS. Sebum directly contributes to inflammatory responses in the body, and that will lead to acne breakouts due to hormonal changes. The same logic applies to greasy food, by the way.

3. Not getting acne after the teenage years – Plausible

Not true for everyone in their 30’s and onwards. According to WebMD, this has something to do with diet, stress, and also family history. This may also have something to do with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) which is a hormonal disorder that can cause acne, fertility problems, and even hirsutism.

4. Sun exposure will cure acne – Nope

It’s sunny in the Philippines, and while you’ll get Vitamin D from sunlight, too much of it is bad since it will dry your skin. It will also worsen your acne scars because your skin will produce more sebum due to dehydration. The worst of it is that too much exposure can cause skin cancer.

The Philippines has this acne problem, and it involves preventing a breakout or lessening the scars. Though there are numerous treatments, there are also unproven methods that people try. Over the counter products are available, and people often recommend them, but safety first so consult your dermatologist first before using them.