I wash my face several times, still I get Acne?
It is a wrong notion that acne is caused only due to dirty skin. Washing alone will not clear acne or prevent it. Acne is primarily caused due to various biological factors which are beyond the control of washing face alone.

If that is so should I wash my face at all?
Yes, washing does however helps in removing excess surface oil and dead skin cells.

What procedure should be followed for washing?
It has been seen that people use various types of products which includes alcohol based cleansers and scrub vigorously. It does not help at all in getting rid of acne but irritates the skin further and in turn worsens the problem.

Ok, what about stress? Does stress causes acne?
Stress is another factor which is considered as real culprit for acne eruption. Stress could have many physiological effects on the body. Stress could lead to changes in hormones that might lead to acne. On the other hand stress could be caused due to acne. If treatment of acne is effectively carried out, stress is not likely to have much impact on most of the acne affected people.

Why people get acne as an adult?
In general acne appears at the age or puberty and disappears in late teens. In some cases acne may persist even in adulthood. In adults acne could take severe forms that could affect face as well as body (occurs more in male then female).

Adult acne primarily occurs due to changes in the pattern of changes in the hormones which in turn causes sebaceous glands to develop acne. Acne could also occur in adult women due to hormonal changes caused by the ovarian cysts and pregnancy. Discontinuation of birth control pills could also cause acne in adult women. Wrong cosmetics could be another cause for acne in adults.

What roles does diet play in acne?
Acne is not caused by food but allergies caused by intake of wrong food could worsen acne. There is no scientific evidence for popular belief that acne is aggravated by certain foods like chocolates, colas, peanuts, shellfish and fatty foods. A balanced diet should be taken and certain food items should be avoided which worsen acne in individuals. Snacks once in a while are not going to cause a big problem.

Does spending time under sun helps in acne?
Again a myth.. There is completely no proof that sun helps acne. Spending too much time under sun could give a tan, masking blemishes and acne. The tan look is just temporary coloring that hides acne. When tan goes away pimples stay. Spending too much time under sun could give you skin cancer and speed up ageing process. It is not a recommended technique for acne treatment.

What is best way to treat acne?
Visit dermatologist.

Can squeezing blemishes be harmful?
Do not pick or squeeze acne, never… If you have inflammatory acne then squeezing could cause havoc. Squeezing forces the infected material deeper into the skin causing additional inflammation and possible scarring.

Can anything be done to remove scarring caused by acne?
A dermatologist would be a better person to answer this question as acne scar removal treatment depends on the individual patients. Chemical peels may help some while others have to go for dermabrasion or laser abrasion.

I am undergoing treatment for acne. How long it will take?
Acne cannot be cured overnight or in few days. It could take between few weeks to few months to see visible results. The results highly depend on the type of treatment and condition of acne.