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There are a number of myths going around, about what causes the appearance of acne. Poor hygiene and fatty foods are two of the most common myths.

People tend to over-wash their face because they think acne is produced by a poor hygiene. This can make the problem worse because you can strip the skin from its natural lipids, harming the skins own biological barrier function. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), is a normal part of the skin surface. This bacterium prevents attacks from other, more harmful bacteria. When oil is trapped in the follicles, P. acnes will grow within the blocked pore. These bacteria produce chemicals that alter the composition of the oil, which can cause irritation and inflammation to the skin.

Fatty foods like French fries and hamburgers are never good for your body in the first place. You can easily put on weight if you consume foods with high fat values on a regular basis, which can be harming to your organism. It is important to either eat them in moderate amounts, or keep away from them.

These fatty foods have long been thought to be what initiates acne breakouts. There is however no specific scientific evidence that indicated that these foods are the cause of acne. People are different and some might notice that zits appear after eating some foods, but these foods are not restricted to junk-food.

Many foods today are created with trans fatty acids to extend their 'shelf-life', and these acids make unsaturated fats, saturated. Essential fatty acids are an important part of sebum and are now replaced with trans fats. Sebum is what lubricates and protect follicles, pores and surrounding skin from dryness. The sebaceous glands begin to produce sebum with oleic acids which is drier, stiffer and more prone to create blackheads, pimples and form follicular plugs that can lead to infection.

Chocolate is Good for You!

Chocolate is another suspect that triggers acne, but then again, no scientific proof exists. In moderate amounts, chocolate can actually be good for you. Chocolate has recently been discovered to be one of the most concentrated sources of flavinoids which are rich antioxidants. It is well known that antioxidants have the property to destroy free radicals and prevent lipid oxidation. The fat content in cocoa butter is composed primarily of high amounts of linoleic acid which gives cocoa the power to prevent pimples and scars

Fatty foods and a poor hygiene is not what triggers acne. It is rather a deficiency in essential fatty acids that causes the skin react with non-helping responses that can boost acne lesions. You can still prefer a lifestyle containing foods that you enjoy, but you might need an effective pimples treatment that is able to supply you with the necessary constituents to attain a clear skin surface.