Dermatologist Sandra Lee [1] has literally made a name for herself popping spots. Dr. Lee, better known as Dr. Pimple Popper, has built her brand on excavation videos both for her YouTube channel and her TV show on TLC [2], as well as an extensive skincare line called SLMD Skincare. So, it's fair to say that she knows a thing or two about spots. There aren't many people out there that know as much about breakouts as Dr. Lee does.
Sadly, when it comes to acne, there are plenty of myths out there from shrinking pores to foods causing breakouts. But luckily, we asked the pimple-popping pro to debunk the most common skincare misconceptions when it comes to treating acne. Ahead, Dr. Lee breaks down the four acne myths you've gotta stop believing.
Myth: Having Acne Means Your Skin is “Dirty”
Good news: your late-night slice of pizza probably isn't going to cause acne — that is, unless you rub it all over your face, says Dr. Lee.
The truth is that having acne doesn't mean your skin is dirty, on the inside or out. While there's a tendency to think that acne is the result of not washing your face or sheets enough or eating too much oily food [3], Dr. Lee says acne isn't your fault. "The truth really is that it has to do with hormones and genetics," she said.
When your hormones are raging [4] — as they usually are in your teenager years — your skin produces more oil. So, naturally, you're going to break out, says Dr. Lee. The same holds true for adult women, who tend to break out during ovulation [5] or in the days leading up to their menstrual cycle. Likewise, pregnancy can affect your skin. "Either it can make your acne worse or it can make it better, just depending on the hormone level," Dr. Lee said.
Myth: You Can Prevent Pimples by Extracting Blackheads at Home
It can be tempting to pop the whitehead growing on your chin, especially if you've been watching too many YouTube videos, but it's best to leave it to the pros like Dr. Pimple Popper.
"It's like this beautiful dance, like you're kind of watching something that looks so beautiful, and it looks so nimble . . . but it's a whole other thing to actually do it yourself," Dr. Lee said. Just like that DIY [6] project that looked a whole lot easier online, extracting blackheads is harder than it looks and shouldn't be done at home.
Myth: Washing Your Face More Prevents Breakouts
Truth: "One thing that my patients make a mistake at is probably cleaning their face too much," Dr. Lee said. Overwashing your skin can actually cause more harm than help."
Don't overanalyse your skin issues. "There are answers out there, and they're over-the-counter answers, and there are things that can help you with your face," Dr. Lee said. "The basic is to know that it's not your fault and don't overdo it."
Myth: You Can “Shrink” Your Pores
Truth: "You cannot permanently change your pore size," Dr. Lee said. But, "you can minimise the appearance of them. If you have something that's always plugging your pores, it can continually dilate [them] a little bit more, keeping them a little bit larger," Dr. Lee explained. Also, "as we get older our skin loses its elasticity, so your pores are going to naturally dilate."
And be wary of products and services that claim they can reduce the size of your pores. "There's so many companies out there or lasers that like to say they can shrink your pores, and that's simply not true," Dr. Lee said. "I think the best kind of measure is try to be proactive about it: try to help prevent them from dilating too much or enlarging too much."