Hello all. My name is Audrey, and I used to have a terrible time with my face because of acne. I didn't always have it, especially not really bad so I did a great deal of searching the Internet to find out what was causing it. Over the years while searching for the way to cure my acne problems, I came across certain myths about what causes acne. Since I had probably tried just about everything in the universe to try and cure my acne, it did not take me long to figure out what was causing my acne and what was not. Here are some of the myths I heard about that do not cause acne for sure.

What Causes Acne Myth #1 - Masturbation or sex causes acne and bad skin

Now this one beats all to me. It's not even logical. Where's the connection? This "cause" has been used to try and discourage young people from having premarital sex.

What Causes Acne Myth #2 - The more you wash your face acne will go away

Washing and washing the face too much can lead to dryness, and cause the skin to become irritated which can cause more breakouts.

What Causes Acne Myth #3 - Acne is only caused by eating "junk" foods

Although there is scientific and medical evidence that eating "good" foods can promote good health (including healthy skin), scientific studies have not produced evidence that there is necessarily a connection between eating "junk" foods and the cause of acne. However, I did eliminate junk food and fast food from my diet and I started eating more healthy foods and my acne got better. So it seems that it's not so much that "junk" foods cause acne, but rather a deficiency in the benefits of eating "good" foods that contributes to it.

What Causes Acne Myth #4 - Acne comes from being dirty

Acne is formed by shedding skin cells, excessive oil production, and bacteria - not dirt. People without acne are not necessarily "cleaner" than people with acne, but keep in mind that acne-causing bacteria forms under clogged pores. This is why proper and regular skin cleansing is important.

What Causes Acne Myth #5 - Popping pimples will get rid of acne quicker

Wrong! Popping or squeezing pimples only makes the acne bacteria spread, causing more infection in the surrounding areas. This can also lead to more severe spotting and permanent scarring.

So these are some of the myths about why acne is on your face, or neck, or body or wherever it is bothering you, but I would not pay too much attention to these. Even still, it is a good idea to find out why acne does occur and reoccur so that you can take the proper steps to cure it.