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Busting
Acne Myths Requires Individualised
Treatment
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by:
Naweko San-Joyz
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If
you have acne, you know the deal- everybody has a cream or suggestion
to help you get clear skin. But how do you separate myth, medicine and
folklore to find an acne treatment that works for you? That’s what
researcher Parker Magin set out to do in a study entitled, A systematic
review of the evidence for ‘myths and misconceptions’ in acne
management.
Magin and co-researchers from the University of Newcastle, New South
Wales, conclude that clinicians cannot be “didactic” when making acne
treatment recommendations that are based on diet, hygiene and sunlight
exposure. According to Magin, acne treatments should be individualized.
Meanwhile, the Academy of Dermatology has published a press release
touting, The Stubborn Truth About Acne: Myths and Misconceptions.
Though this article discusses a recent Stanford University survey that
examined acne myths held among young adults, it offers no solid advice
for securing an acne antidote. Moreover, its meaning is paradoxical.
For example, the article headlines Alexa Boer Kimball, M.D. who is an
assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard University. Dr. Kimballs
sums up the survey on acne by saying “that substantial differences
still exist between popular belief and scientific support, yet this
does not change the way patients attempt to care for their acne.”
Dr. Kimballs’s comments at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy
of Dermatology casts a discrediting shadow over her groundbreaking
research that aimed to separate acne fact from fiction. Just two years
ago in 2003, Dr. Kimball was apart of a Stanford University study
investigating the effect of stress on acne. Then, Dr. Kimball concluded
that, “increased acne severity was significantly associated with
increased stress levels… while self-assessed change in diet quality was
the only other significant association.” The results of this study
suggested that the link between acne, and diet and stress are no longer
hypothetical but warrant further examination.
Another investigation aiming to demystify acne came for Dr. Loren
Cordain. Cordain and his associates explored the link between diet and
acne in a study called Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western
Civilization. Cordain noted that Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea
and the Aché hunter-gatherers of Paraguay had no active cases of acne.
This prompted the question, “So why does acne vulgaris affect 79% to
95% of the adolescent population in westernized societies?”
Cordain found that genes alone do not cause the disparity of acne
incidences between non-westernized and modernized societies. Other
factors must enter the equation.
Acne can arise from hormonal shifts, stress upheavals and a host of
other causes. Your best defense against acne is observing yourself and
noting what conditions, foods and emotions aggravate your acne
situation. From there, you can use self-care to reduce acne flare-ups.
About the Author
Health author and Noixia campaigner Naweko
San-Joyz lovingly writes from her home in San Diego. Her works include
“Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne”
(ISBN: 0974912204) and the upcoming work “Skinny Fat Chicks, Why we’re
still not getting this dieting thing” (ISBN: 0974912212) for release in
June of 2005.
For useful acne self-help articles visit http://www.Noixia.com.
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