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Myth: Sunlight will dry out acne

woman looking at pimple Fact: This is true to some extent. When acne influenced skin is directly exposed to small amounts of sunlight, it can destroy bacteria that are responsible for acne. Also it may may give the pores a tighter appearance and a suntan can make acne blemishes much less visible  While you may end up thinking that sunlight is treating your acne, the  effect is only temporary and superficial. Even though mild sun exposure could prove helpful for certain stages of the pimple resolution process and dry out existing acne, it simply won't help prevent new ones!  In effect, such exposure can also be counter-productive. Sunlight directly stimulates the oil producing glands under the skin to secrete more sebum. Thus, your skin tends to get oilier which leads  to further clogging of skin pores, which result in new pimple formations.

Furthermore, the inherent heat will make you perspire and the concomitant sweat that has various body reject salts will come in touch with acne, only to make matters worse and your skin will feel irritated and itchy. Besides if you are using common acne medications like the antibiotic isotetracycline and topical creams containing retinoids and glycolic acid, it can make your skin extremely sensitive to the sun, leading to bad burns if your skin is unprotected.
woman with acne sunbathing 
Bottom line: The long-term damage to the skin caused by the sun far outweighs its initial treatment of acne. For starters, it can induce premature indications of skin ageing. It can render your skin saggy, dull and dry draining away its natural youthfulness or freshness. In depth sunlight exposure has additionally been linked to more severe conditions such as skin cancer.Whether you have acne or not, it is a wise idea to use sunscreen of SPF 30 or more, to protect your skin from further damage.
(Guest Post by Smitha)
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Comments

  1. Suraj9:30 AM

    The good news is that eating candy, oily food or chocolate in themselves do not cause acne.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:40 AM

    another myth
    Only teenagers get acne.
    Wrong again! You can get acne at any age. Even babies can get it, and about 25% of all people between the ages 25-44 have acne. Many adult women have acne because of the constant fluctuation of their hormones during each menstrual cycle. Some medications, like birth control pills, as well as being pregnant can also contribute to adult acne.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Met Tathione4:40 PM

    Exposing yourself for prolong hours in the sun, will also exposing yourself to harmful UV rays.

    ReplyDelete

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