Humboldtconference.org

“There’s a lot of it about”. Nowhere is that saying more apt than in acne. More formally referred to as acne vulgaris, it is a skin disease that can affect almost all teenagers to some extent, with many people taking their ’spots’ well into adult life – so finding the best acne treatment is something we may all need to do at some point in our lives. It is also becoming more common for some people to develop acne for the first time in their 20s and even 30s.

A study in Germany in 2001, looking at a general population aged from 1 to 87, found that 26.8 per cent of people had acne. Looking just at teenagers the figure is more like 90 per cent. A few pimples and blackheads are very common after puberty but acne is certainly not a problem that can be dismissed as ‘just teenage spots’. Sadly, however, it often is by family, friends and, worst of all, by some healthcare professionals who don’t understand the natural acne treatment tips they often offer with little experience. Many people with acne, therefore, get poor advice and information about acne and the acne treatments available, and fall victim to over-optimistic advertising campaigns while building up a collection of myths and misconceptions such as the following.

It will always get better on its own.

It is caused by not washing.

It is caused by eating chips and chocolate.

It is just a cosmetic problem.

You can catch acne from someone.

It’s because you have too much sex.

All of these acne myths are wrong but commonly held beliefs and contribute to a lack of understanding of the problems caused by having acne, and this can worsen the psychological effect. Having acne is bad enough without being told that it is all your own fault because you eat the wrong things and don’t wash!