#1. Acne is caused by oil in your skin, not by the dirt on your face. Therefore, the more you clean your skin, the better your acne will get is a false assumption. While it's important to cleanse your skin twice a day, cleaning more than that can overly dry your skin. Many experts believe cleansing all the time will actually worsen the condition.

#2. Consuming fatty foods will worsen your acne. Specific food groups, such as fast food and chocolate, should not trigger breakouts; however, some people have breakouts due to reactions from certain foods. If you break out after eating a certain food, avoid it in the future. Your overall diet also contributes to skin health.

#3. The notion that stress causes breakouts is an erroneous one. Research has shown that breakouts are not triggered by stressful situations. If you experience acne problems before a big or stressful event, take note of what you do with your hands. Sometimes leaning your face on your hands can cause a breakout.

#4. While acne may clear up on its own, most people are under the false impression that acne only afflicts teenagers; however, anyone from babies to women in their 40's can experience acne. If your method of treatment does not help, seek the advice of a dermatologist.

#5. While covering pimples with make-up may make them worse, as long as you use the right make-up, it should not cause breakouts. Buy make-up which has a chemical free base. If possible, avoid make-up until the acne dissipates. Just like food, different ingredients in make-up can cause a reaction and result in a breakout.

#6. Pimples go away after you pop them. Never, ever pop a zit. Contrary to popular belief, squeezing pimples can make them worse rather than better. Popping a zit can cause infection, increase the likelihood of scarring, and slow healing.

#7. The notion that if one type of medication or topical cream doesn't work; you have to live with acne. There is more than one way to treat acne. If one method doesn't work, keep trying. Also, it sometimes takes a while for any non-prescription medication or topical cream to work. Don't worry if a treatment doesn't work after a week.

#8. A tan can clear up acne. While a tan may make acne less visible, it will do nothing to clear up a breakout. Regular tanning can make your skin look old much faster as well as promotes skin cancers. The permanent damage you cause is not worth decreasing the appearance of pimples. It is advisable to stay out of the sun during an acne breakout.

How to reduce and treat acne can be accomplished once you learn to prevent breakouts, and find the appropriate methods to treat it.