As a teenager, Angela Harmison suffered virulent acne attacks. So bad were the bouts that she had phases when she hid at home to avoid exposing her terribly scarred and pockmarked face to the gaze of friends and strangers. "I felt like a monster every time I looked in the mirror. And because there was not one person who could tell me about why I was getting such a bad case of acne and what I could do to prevent it, I believed all the misconceptions and myths on acne that I read and tried bizarre acne treatment that made things worse."

Some common misconceptions on acne

Today, Angela is a 25-year-old legal professional who no longer suffers from acne, but still carries the scars of battle and wants to set up an acne support group for fellow sufferers to "educate people about the misconceptions and myths on acne".

And myths there are aplenty. Because acne is such a common condition and affects people living in all climatic conditions, the Internet is bursting with information about its so called prevention and treatment, in the certain knowledge that there will be a vast readership for it. However, there is a very real need to educate people about the misconceptions that surround this condition, because there are still millions who believe that.

- Only teenagers suffer from acne

- Dirty skin causes acne

- Chocolates, fast food, and soft drinks cause acne

- Sex and masturbation cause acne

- Oily skin causes acne

- Sunbathing cures acne

- The stronger the acne medication the better

As you will realize, listed above are some of the commonest myths and misconceptions on acne. So what is the reality? Let's take it point by point.

- Acne is not a teenage ailment that will disappear once you reach adulthood. While it is true that the ailment is usually associated with teenagers because it usually manifests itself in early teenage, many adults suffer from acne as well. Most commonly, acne is a combination of hereditary and certain other factors like hormonal imbalances.

- Dirt does not cause acne. This misconception probably comes from the fact that acne is associated with skin infections, but the blockages that cause acne

- formed by cells and sebum ? are located deep within the skin's follicle, where it is impossible to wash them away. In fact, vigorous cleansing can actually worsen the existing lesions and encourage new ones by dehydrating the skin.

-Scientific studies have shown that chocolates, fats food and soft drinks are not necessarily causes of acne. A recent consensus among health professionals is that acne sufferers should follow the trial and error method while fixing their diets, and not consume any food that adversely affects their acne.

-Sex and masturbation definitely do not cause acne. This acne myth probably has its roots in the fact that testosterone, the male sex hormone, is a major cause of acne. But there is nothing in science that proves a link between sex and acne.

-Oily skin is a symptom of acne, rather than its cause.

-Sunbathing does not cure acne. In fact, there is no definitive cure for acne at all, though acne treatments there are in plenty. And besides, sunbathing can lead to complications like skin cancer and wrinkles!

-When it comes to acne treatment, stronger is not necessarily better. Benzoyl peroxide is the most widely prescribed medication for acne, but a 2.5% solution is what the experts recommend, as opposed to a 5-10% solution, which may dehydrate the skin.

So as you can see, the myths and misconceptions on acne have taken firm root and need to be weeded out if our understanding of this widespread and irritating problem is to increase. After all, you have to know the enemy before you can engage in battle!