Bellevue Acne Clinic | Silly Acne Myths

There is a lot of misinformation about acne. In my role I have heard many silly ideas about treating acne.

Some of the most ridiculous involves the use of common household products to spot treat large pimples. I have heard that it is helpful to use raw beaten egg on pimples (it’s not!). Other items that supposedly work are toothpaste and even the first urination of the day. Please, dear reader, do not put urine on your face. It will not help your acne!

A popular acne treatment book promoted the use of ice for acne. The theory was that ice decreases inflammation, and since acne is the result of inflammation, ice must be helpful. However, this theory is misguided. You should never put ice directly on the skin – it will cause irritation. Even if you want to ice a sore knee or something– you should put a towel or something between the ice and the skin to decrease the risk of burning. The skin on the face is way more sensitive than the knee (especially in people who have acne), so putting ice directly on the skin is especially likely to cause irritation.

Other acne myths involve ridiculously elaborate techniques for washing the face or applying medicine. An article here describes a technique for applying medicine to back acne. The patient is instructed to soak a T-shirt in acne medicine, wear the shirt for 15 minutes, and rub the medicine in during the entire fifteen minutes.

The truth is, there is no secret in treating acne. My motto regarding acne treatment is, “It’s not hard, it just ain’t easy.” Spending 2 minutes twice a day washing your face and applying the right moisturizer and/or acne medicine will make most people’s skin improve dramatically. My job is to assess your skin and know which products are best for your particular skin situation.