The Regimen

The 7 Biggest Myths About Acne

Young African American woman relaxing on sofa at home and reading a magazine during her coffee time.

So many misconceptions about acne. So much wasted time. Here’s a quick list of the top acne myths to help you avoid the treatment detours and get onto what works.

 

Dirty skin and hair on the forehead cause acne.

This unfortunate misconception has been the cause of much over-scrubbing and irritation, things that can actually exacerbate acne rather than heal it. Cleansing is important for keeping pores clear and killing bacteria, but it’s not dirty skin or surface oil that comes from hair that causes acne. It’s the sebum being produced in the pore. Acne forms under the surface of the skin as a result of inflammation, bacteria, and sebum.

 

Chocolate and greasy foods cause acne.

In a landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1969, Dr. Fulton debunked the widely held myth that chocolate and greasy foods were the cause of acne. Still, the idea persists. While a good diet is essential to maintaining healthy skin, acne begins in the pore.

 

Popping pimples makes them go away sooner.

Quite the opposite. It might give you momentary satisfaction to deflate the bump on your skin, but popping, picking, and squeezing spreads bacteria and increases inflammation, which can lead to scarring.  

 

Spot treating is the best way to clear a pimple quickly.

When you spot treat only the individual lesion, you allow bacteria in the surrounding skin to continue to grow and spread. To really clear your skin, you need to address the underlying condition, and that means using your skincare product all over your face.

 

Tanning helps clear blemishes.

The ultraviolet radiation (from the sun or artificial sources, like tanning beds) dilates tiny blood vessels close to the surface of the skin, causing inflammation. Inflammation creates oxidative stress in the sebum follicle, which increases the likelihood of impactions.

 

Acne is only a teenage disease.

The myth that acne will magically disappear in adulthood, or that it is somehow a teen right of passage can keep it from being taken seriously. Target acne at its earliest appearance (often pre-teen years) with clinical skincare, otherwise “harmless”  breakouts can become lasting scars.

 

Nothing really works for treating acne.

 Acne is a chronic disease of the skin that can be successfully controlled and managed with the right regimen consistently applied.

 

In 1969, Vivant formulator Dr. James Fulton co-developed Retin-A®, setting the gold standard for the treatment of acne and aging and changing skincare forever. He went on to develop benzoyl peroxide, topical erythromycin, and vitamin A propionate, the most effective non-prescription retinoid available. Before these advancements, the myth that nothing really works to treat acne was true.

 

It was Dr. Fulton’s personal struggle with acne as a young man that propelled his desire to find real solutions to what had proven an unmanageable skin problem for medical science.

 

Years of groundbreaking work in the lab and treating patients cemented his reputation as the world’s foremost acneologist.

 

Dr. Fulton was guided by a simple philosophy: Skincare therapies must be backed by consistent clinical results. More simply put, they must work.

 

The Vivant line is built on this philosophy. Our products work. Try them for 60 days. If you’re not completely satisfied, send them back for a full refund.

 

To simplify, we’ve created acne treatment systems built on these evidence-based ingredients: 

  • Benzoyl Peroxide: Kills acne bacteria and clears pores
  • Salicylic Acid: Reduces inflammation and flushes out pores
  • Alpha Hydroxy Acids: Clears cellular debris and oil to unclog pores and allow better absorption of corrective serums
  • Mandelic Acid: Anti-bacterial AHA kills acne bacteria, micro-exfoliates to clear pores, helps reduce scarring
  • Vitamin A Propionate: Accelerates cell turnover, unclogs pores, peels out impactions, and stimulates collagen production to renew healthy skin and reduce scarring

 

Find your perfect Vivant acne treatment system here.

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