Originally posted on https://acneintelligence.com/blog/acne-myth-sun-exposure-clears-up-acne/

It can seem like beauty tips are everywhere – talk to a friend, open up a magazine or perform a quick search for advice, and you’ll likely be inundated by quick tips, guaranteed easy, effective, and practically fool-proof. Unfortunately, beauty myths are often just as prevalent, and sometimes it can be difficult to reconcile the two. We’ve found that acne-related myths are especially numerous, perhaps because most people who experience acne are willing to try any and everything they can to get rid of it.

One of the most common acne myths is that sun exposure will “dry out” or “clear up” your acne. This advice is frequently given by acne sufferers, beauty magazines, and casual observers alike, lending credence to the claim. While this myth has its roots in a bit of reality, it is important to dig a little deeper and determine where the advice comes from and whether following it is a good idea.

Protecting Your Skin Is Important

There isn’t a silver bullet for acne because everyone’s skin is different. That’s why an application like Acne Intelligence can be so beneficial – it’s designed to help you understand your unique skin and how the sun might affect it. AI, along with important tips like avoiding direct sun exposure, staying hydrated, and eating well, can transform acne prone skin. Before we dive into the ins and outs of the sun’s effect on your skin, it is essential to understand your skin’s function and why protecting it is so important. Overall, your skin does much more than simply cover your bones, muscles, and internal organs. In fact, it is an organ itself, and is the primary means by which your body protects itself from the surrounding environment.

However, the skin’s large surface area also functions to absorb and retain necessary elements, while preventing loss of others to the environment. Certain compounds produced by the skin, such as ceramides and amino acids, help your body retain essential moisture. Others, such as sebum, help moisturize the skin itself and provide a waterproof coating. Disrupting this delicate balance can cause your skin to become dry, inflamed, and acne-prone.

What Happens When Your Skin Is Exposed to the Sun?

Exposing your skin to sunlight can have a marked effect on your skin. Whether you’re spending time outdoors or laying in a tanning bed, both natural and artificial sunlight is composed of multiple different types of energy, expressed in rays with varying qualities and wavelengths. Besides the most obvious, visible light, the sun also emits infrared rays that produce heat, as well as ultraviolet, or UV, rays.

While all these rays contain energy, the rays that have the greatest effect on your skin are the UV rays. Rays at this wavelength contain much more energy than visible light and can cause disruptions in the cellular makeup of your skin. At worst, these disruptions can be the source of skin cancer. At best, increased sun exposure dries out and overheats the skin, making it more susceptible to sunburn and other forms of skin damage.

Why Do People Believe Sun Exposure Cures Acne?

This acne myth has its roots in a bit of reality, making it that much more believable to people who may be desperately seeking a solution for unwanted acne. Some of the sun’s rays really do have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and can stop acne-causing bacteria from proliferating. In addition, time spent in the sun can have a drying effect, temporarily reducing the amount of sebum the skin produces for hydration and theoretically preventing acne from forming as the result of pores clogged with sebum.

However, such positive effects are only temporary. After only a short time in the sun, overheating and sunburn can set in, rendering any anti-inflammatory effects useless. In addition, although the initial drying properties of the sun can temporarily reduce sebum levels, your skin is resilient; sebum production eventually kicks into overdrive, resulting in as much as a 140% increase of sebum in an attempt to compensate for dry skin. This sebum can settle into your pores and actually worsen your acne symptoms.

The Risk is Not Worth The Reward

Think about it – much of the reason your skin tends to look a little better after a day in the sun is due to the masking effect the slight change in color can have on naturally pink or reddish acne blemishes. If your surrounding skin is tanned or sunburnt, you may not see acne as easily, but you’ve also damaged your skin.

Increased exposure to sunlight, especially to the point of tanning or burning, increases your risk of developing skin cancers of all types. In fact, even one tanning session – whether indoors or outdoors – increases your chances of developing melanoma by as much as 20%, and squamous cell carcinoma by a whopping 67%, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The risk is not worth the reward.

How to Get Rid of Acne: A Safe Strategy That Works

Now that we’ve established that increased sun exposure is not only ineffective, but dangerous, you may be wondering if you’ll ever find a safe, effective treatment for your acne. Fortunately, Acne Intelligence has a custom-curated, evidence-based solution for acne regardless of severity. Unlike other acne treatment brands, which tend to be one-size-fits-all, Acne Intelligence utilizes a free, proprietary acne app designed to help provide you with an acne solution tailored to your needs.

Simply download the AI app, find good lighting and take a quality selfie. Our comprehensive algorithms and artificial intelligence technology will analyze the appearance of your acne, including dryness, level of inflammation, and the number of acne blemishes to determine your unique acne severity number. We’ll suggest the topical products perfect for your needs so you can begin treating your acne straight away.

Better yet, every AI product utilizes our patented delivery technology (PP2) designed to continue treating the upper layers of your skin, actually curing the dryness and irritation that worsened acne in the first place. Once your acne is reduced in severity, you can taper down to less potent products until your acne is cured, then switch to our highly effective maintenance regimen.

Check Out the AI App and Get More Information

Are you ready to put the myths to rest and finally address your acne with a solution that actually works without putting your skin in danger? Download the AI app to get your score free of charge. Then, get started on the road to acne recovery.

Please contact us with any questions regarding how to get your personalized number or to learn more about our comprehensive acne solution.