What causes acne and how to stop it?

We all love stories and companies will feed them to us to sell their products. That is what results in myths. For this reason there are dozens of myths about our bodies, particularly skin. Joshua Fox, MD, founder of Advanced Dermatology and a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology exposes some common skin myths so that we can separate fact from fiction and take care of our skin:

Myth #1: Acne is for teenagers.

Unfortunately, plenty of people in their 20s and 30s (and beyond) experience breakouts, whether they were pimply teenagers or not. And more women -- more than 50 percent - will develop acne long after graduation from high school.

Myth #2: If your face breaks out, it's because you're not washing it as often - or as aggressively -- as you should.

Wrong, says Dr. Fox. "Sure, if you wear oil-based makeup or heavy creams and don't wash your face properly, you'll wind up with blocked pores, which can turn into blemishes. But acne isn't caused by dirty skin."

The bottom line: Keep your skin clean, but don't overdo it. Washing once or twice a day with a mild cleanser should be enough. Studies show washing more often doesn't lessen outbreaks. Scrubbing and/or using harsh products will only damage your skin and might even make your acne worse.

Myths #3 and #4: Eating too much chocolate, pizza or potato chips will make you break out. Or, conversely, diet has nothing to do with acne.

Both of these are untrue, says Dr. Fox. "Years ago," he explains, "teenagers were told that acne was caused by eating certain foods. But there was little evidence implicating these things in acne, and in recent years many doctors have taken the opposite position, telling patients that diet has nothing to do with acne."

He continues, "Today, we're seeing research showing a definite link between eating a healthy diet and having healthy skin. And there's even been a study showing that teenage girls who drink lots of milk have a higher incidence of acne than those who drink very little milk."

So what's the bottom line?

"Be sure you're eating plenty of nutritious foods," says Dr. Fox. "And pay attention to your own triggers. If you notice that you break out after eating a certain food, avoid it. Also, keep any grease from touching your skin as we know it is a precipitant. So if you eat pizza or potato chips -- eat them sitting down and wash your hands after eating them."