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TOP 7 MYTHS ON SPOTS AND HOW TO TREAT THEM!
If you experience breakouts, blemishes, acne its 99% certain you've been be offered lots really helpful advice and tips for getting rid of spots that aren’t that helpful. Some is well intentioned but we've heard loads too that are total BS - grounded in skincare misconceptions, and mostly repeated to make you feel like you've done something to deserve it - which you SO have not!
So to dispel the BS, we wanted to share some of the most common (but inaccurate!) myths about the causes of spots and blemishes, so you can filter out the good advice from the bad and get on with something a bit more important.
CAN EATING CHOCOLATE CAUSE SPOTS?
Nope - there have been no conclusive studies that prove that sugar or chocolate directly causes breakouts. This is a definite myth, which for a few on the team, is a huge relief. However, a healthy diet and exercise is always a good thing, especially if you are struggling with your mental health and confidence as a result of breakouts.
If you want to cut back on sugar then great, but do it for bigger and better reasons that trying to reduce breakouts.
DOES PICKING SPOTS HELP THEM HEAL QUICKER?
A couple of the team here at Clear Skin Days LOVE a Dr. Pimple Popper video. There is no doubt it can be weirdly satisfying, and an experienced dermatologist will be trained to treat certain blemishes in this way. However, in general squeezing spots may end up with them becoming more inflamed or infected as a result as it can lead to bacteria entering the wound. Even worse, you could increase your risk of scarring. Our advice is to leave it to the professionals.
One way to manage the healing of spots is to use a patch - our Blemish Clearing Patches use Hydrocolloid technology and are amazing at drawing out impurities and healing the area.
They also prevents picking which is one of the key causes of scarring - used overnight they are comfortable to sleep in and so discreet, you can where them in the day with or without foundation coverage.
DOES THE SUN HELP TO CLEAR YOUR SKIN?
There is limited evidence to prove that sunshine helps to reduce spots, although light therapy (e.g. blue light) may help to kill certain bacteria that can cause acne. It’s more likely that a light tan might be disguising some of the usual redness or breakouts, or reduced stress may help reduce breakout frequency. It’s also really important to remember that if you are using chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid to help treat blemishes, then you need to use SPF to prevent long lasting sun damage like hyperpigmentation.
DOES MAKE-UP MAKE SPOTS WORSE
Has anyone ever said to you that makeup doesn’t let your skin breathe so you shouldn’t be wearing it? Well, as long as the makeup you wear is non-comedogenic (non pore blocking) and oil free, then it shouldn’t really be contributing to breakouts and there are plenty of foundations out there that are designed to work with oily skin.
In fact, some foundations containing Zinc can be skin soothing and support breakout-prone skin. If a breakout is making you feel more self-conscious about your skin, then just do what’s right for you and cover / conceal if that helps you feel more confident. Just make sure you check the ingredients list and product labelling to make sure the formulation is right for your skins needs.
If you're looking to control oil, our Mattifying Barrier Moisturiser is definitely a product you should try - it helps to give you more control with sebum production whilst moisturising and protecting your skin! .
IS SKIN DIRTY IF YOU HAVE PIMPLES?
Errrr NO and we really don’t like this myth - it’s negative and inaccurate. The NHS advises that “most biological reactions that trigger acne occur beneath the surface of the skin, not on the surface”. Basically, spots are more likely to be caused by things like hormones than any external factors.
That said, we would always advise cleansing once or twice a day (no more than that) to prevent the build up of oil, pollution and dirt which can clog pores, and for a nice, fresh skin feel 👌
ARE SPOTS JUST FOR TEENAGERS?
Its true that acne can be triggered during puberty due to an increase in hormone production, which can signal the body to make more sebum. However, about 20% of all acne cases occur in adults. Women in particular can experience acne in their 30s and beyond due to hormone fluctuations during periods, pregnancy or the menopause.
Stress can also trigger adult acne - when our stress levels go up it causes an increase in the level of acne causing-hormones called androgens, which stimulate oil production. The horrible truth is, you may also just be more genetically likely to get spots, its sucks, yes, but good to know right?
Basically, spots are definitely not just for teenagers as most of us at Clear Skin Days will confirm!
IS TOOTHPASTE GOOD FOR ZITS?
No, this is such a throw back to the 80's, the same as a certain 'nappy rash' cream being a good treatment!
Toothpaste is designed to clean teeth, so ingredients are designed to work on cleaning stains from enamel and killing bacteria which is not the same as treating a spot. The ingredients in toothpaste are too harsh as they can irritate, dry out and be really unkind to dry and sensitive skin - all of which could actually make your spots and surround skin worse.
If you want an effective overnight treatment for a single spot or a cluster, try out Blemish Repair Paste. Its calming and will, if applied before bed, reduce your breakouts and any redness.
GET IN TOUCH
We hope that you've found this blog helpful - if you have any questions or would like to share your skincare journey with us, we'd love to hear from you. You can get in touch via the form below or by DM on IG.
