Tiktok might be everyone's favourite platform right now, but I’m telling you - it’s hard to get an education about your acne over there, there’s so much misinformation. Long-form content is king when it comes to skin problem-solving, so in today’s video I’m sharing my 6 top acne myths that’ll save both your skin and your shopping budget at the same time.
Myth #1. Can I solve acne with my cleanser?
NO! This is simply approaching acne with the wrong mindset.
Think of acne-prone skin as like a wayward horse. It needs taming. And that doesn’t come about overnight. It requires a relentless programme of training. That’s your skin when you have acne. The training is your daily routine of leave-on products which are in contact with your skin for long enough to *actually* change your skin’s behaviour. And over time, you tame it.
Myth #2. Can a facemask cure acne?
Again…NO! It’s the same principle as before. The products aren’t in contact with your skin for long enough to modify it’s misbehaviour. You still have a wayward horse.
Myth #3. Should I skip moisturiser if I have acne.
Sigh. Perhaps the biggest myth out there, and as we’ve learnt more about the skin barrier, we’ve come to realise that the opposite is true. Think about your skin on a longhaul flight - you get dry AND you break out. That’s not a coincidence. You will be using active ingredients that tend to make skin drier so you will need moisturiser. The good news is that you can safely find one that’s balanced in occlusives and barrier repair ingredients that won’t clog you up, rest assured.
Myth #4. Do AHAs help acne?
I’m afraid not. I don’t use AHAs at all in my acne practice. Does that surprise you? Well, it all comes down to the fact that AHAs simply don’t like oil. Nor are they anti-inflammatory. And they have a modest impact on pigmentation from previous spots at best. So why on earth would I choose this ingredient over BHAs or Azelaic Acid? That would just be crazy.
Myth #5. Can a supplement cure acne?
Ahhh, it would be so simple if that’s all it took. But we all know that skin is tricky and that this is simply unrealistic so save your pennies - because these can get expensive. Instead eat for skin health based on first principles - get plenty of omega 3s and zinc and try to keep the amount of high GI foods to a sensible level. Aim to eat from scratch rather than consuming lots of processed foods, watch your dairy and then leave the rest to your skincare.
Myth #6. What does the location of my acne mean?
Acne face mapping was a thing for a while. The human character seems to always want to find meaning in things. But aside from the classic T or U, there is very little information here so worry not, put on your creams and don’t overthink it.
Damn, that felt good. I love a good debunking!!! Hopefully that’s set your mind at ease on a topic that can be hard to navigate because everyone has an opinion. If you’re starting out, head over to my Acne Solved series for a step by step guide on how to put a plan together and how to navigate the early days. It’ll help.
