by: Dennis Becker

Isn't skin a wonderful thing to have?
An obvious benefit of skin is that it protects our bodies' internal
organs from harmful elements like dirt, insects, bites, toxic
chemicals, nasty weather, and the like, and it certainly is more
attractive than what's underneath.
When skin is healthy it's nice to look at, but when it's diseased,
it can not only affect you physically, but more painfully can cause
stress and social problems.
Like the common cold, acne and similar skin diseases can be treated
and covered up, but cannot really be cured. The best treatment is
prevention and knowledge about what makes your skin happy, so that
you can avoid skin care enemies and breakout triggers.
The real cause of acne can vary from individual to individual, but
some factors can be stated with relative certainty:
1. Acne occurs when pores or hair follicles become blocked or
clogged.
2. There are basically 4 types of acne manifestations: whiteheads,
blackheads, pimples, and nodules.
3. Acne can appear pretty much anywhere on the skin, though it
causes the most concern when it shows up on the face. The worst
forms of acne break out, however, on the chest and back, and most
commonly on males rather than females because of hormonal
differences.
4. There are many common myths and untruths about acne, rosacea, and
other skin care problems.
Some acne myths include "you'll outgrow it, so leave it alone",
"being out in the sun helps acne", "acne problems are directly or
indirectly proportionate to sexual activity", "acne visits dirty
people", "acne is contagious", and too many more to list in this
short article.
The sad thing is that belief in the myths can be devasting, in that
proper treatment is avoided, and lifestyle changes that don't need
to be made can take away pleasure unnecessarily.
For example, at one point in my life, I truly believed that I was
allergic to chocolate and that it caused my breakouts. Whenever I
would succumb to the temptation and have "just a little" I would
stress out waiting for the red spots, and sure enough they would
appear.
After several years and much experimentation, I learned I had no
allergy, the stress was a trigger for me, and a new over the counter
face scrub has kept me in the clear ever since.
Knowing what triggers your breakouts can be the difference between
constant battles and healthy skin. The Internet is a wonderful place
to get the information you need, so stop stressing out and learn
what it takes to put your best face forward.
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Dennis Becker has developed a free e-Course titled "Ultimate Acne
Prevention and Treatment Guide" which debunks the myths and shows
you how to look great consistently. The e-Course, along with other
skin care articles can be accessed at:
http://www.skin-care-advice.com
Copyright (c) 2005 by Dennis Becker. You may publish this article,
in its entirety, on your web site or in your ezine, as long as you
include this full signature box including an active hyperlink to our
web site.