Creatine is an acid that occurs naturally in all vertebrates which helps supply energy to muscles and nerve cells.  It is very common for athletes to take store-bought creatine supplements before a workout in an attempt to give their muscles more energy and achieve better “gains.”  While there are common side effects to creatine that a majority of its users will experience if they are not careful (dehydration and/or increased bowel movements), many users have claimed that creatine supplements cause acne breakouts.

While several studies have been done about the athletic and possible muscle building effects of creatine, very few, if any, studies have been done on the relationship between creatine and acne.  Studies have shown that using creatine for a long period of time can cause blood pressure to rise, but whether or not creatine actually causes acne is still up in the air.  Since creatine is known to cause dehydration, it could easily lead to your skin becoming more dry, which means you are more susceptible to acne developing.  Some users may experience acne breakouts starting as early as a week after starting creatine supplements, while others may never have a problem with acne developing.  Since a lot of creatine users are still in the late teens and twenties, it could merely be a result of genetics and/or other factors.

While this seems like a very quick, easy, and convenient way to get rid of acne, the unfortunate reality is that drinking large amounts of water does not make acne go away.  There is some good news in this area.  Since acne is the result of glands producing oil to moisturize dry skin, drinking water each day can help prevent your body from becoming too dehydrated and therefore stop your skin from drying out.  The rule of thumb “drink eight glasses of water a day” has been around for a long time and can be used in this situation.  It might not be convenient for some people to drink eight glasses of water a day. Drinking as much water as possible is the next best thing.  A good way to drink eight glasses of water a day is to replace coffee, soft drinks, and other sugary drinks with water.  Water may not satisfy your soft drink craving so adding fresh squeezed lemon or lime to your water will give it a great taste and also help you cut down on unnecessary calories.  

Many people have been led to believe that sunscreen causes acne as a result of certain ingredients. Specifically coconut oil, but this is actually a myth.  In fact, using sunscreen when you’re at the beach or just going out for a walk will help prevent your skin from developing acne and stop any acne you already have from getting worse.  Too many of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun can do serious harm to the human body, such as causing skin cancer, but it can also do less serious damage in the form of dry skin.

Since ultraviolet rays dry out human skin, having your face exposed without any protection (sunscreen or a hat) mean the glands will start to produce more oil in an attempt to moisturize the skin.  This oil will creep out through the pours on your face and only cause more dirt and oil, which leads to acne developing or current acne getting worse.  Sunscreen stops your skin from getting dry and limits your chances of having acne breakouts as a result of ultraviolet rays. 

Myth: Chocolate and oily foods cause acne.
Reality: This is a very popular myth that has been around for decades, but there is still not evidence to support it.  Allergens to milk may result in skin irritation without actually causing acne, so there is no concrete link for the average person.

Myth: Repeated face washing will get rid of acne.
Reality: This can actually cause do more harm than good since over-washing your face may lead to dry and irritated skin, resulting in glands doing extra work to try and create moisture.

Myth: Stress causes acne.
Reality: This is a highly debated issue with no solid answer.  The truth is it depends on the person and how his/her hormones change as a result of stress.  Since no two people are the same, stress may not cause acne for an entire family, only one or two members. 

Myth: Getting a tan will make my acne go away.
Reality: Drying out your skin, which is what happens when you receive a lot of ultraviolet rays, can actually cause your acne to get worse over a long period of time.  The reason being is that your skin drying out even more than it already is will only cause your glands to produce more oil via pours, which causes your skin to get dirtier.

Myth: You shouldn’t wear makeup or other cosmetic problems if you have acne.
Reality: Certain makeup and cosmetic products can damage your skin by drying it out even more and causing more acne to appear, but this is not the case if you make sure to use cosmetic products that do are non-comedogenic or non-acnegic.  Do not assume that just because a cosmetic or skincare product is labeled as “organic” or “all-natural” doesn’t mean it’s non-comedogenic or non-acnegic.  These products can still contain either and damage your skin even more.

Myth: There’s nothing you can do about acne but let it run its course.
Reality: There are plenty of things you can besides and this blog is full of great information.  One of the things you can do to help your skin out is to use products that are designed for when you have acne.  Certain over-the-counter products may not work depending on the severity of your acne and/or your genetics, but you still have plenty of other options including using the LexLi Acne Kit.