Good morning dear readers!

Odd question, how many of you noticed (from the photos or having met me in real life) that I actually used to have bad skin?

Long-time readers would probably know how disastrous my skin used to be as I once had a lot of pimples and have been fighting acne problem for several years. 

Today, I am FINALLY free of acne. But look closely, you can still see my oily skin & scars on my cheeks.

(In this photo, I have tried to conceal it with make up)

Is my oily face & scars on my cheeks clearer?

(In this photo, I have less concealer on)

But if you never noticed, it could mean that I'm either really good with my make-up and concealers to cover up the acne haha! 

Thanks to the folks at Papulex, a leading pharmaceutical expert in Asia Pacific that specializes in Dermatology, I'm going to begin opening up a personal battle of my life that you probably didn't know of –

For those of you lucky people who never knew what acne is nor have experienced it, acne is the name given to the various dermal outbreaks, such as pimples and blackheads, which are commonly experienced during adolescence.

While acne, in most instances, diminishes and disappears by the early 20s, for some unfortunate individuals the symptoms of acne can persist long into adulthood. 

Here's a simple diagram on how acne occurs on the skin surface

Now, we all know that there are many theories (and many myths) as to what exactly causes acne but one of the stronger arguments is that acne is largely influenced by your genes.

Main question of today –

CAN ACNE BE INHERITED?

Answer –

Yes, you can inherit acne.

After doing my research, here are some cold, hard facts!

 Numerous studies have been conducted in order to correlate acne with genetics. A 1999 study from the British Journal of Dermatology has shown that individuals who suffer from adult persistent acne are four times more likely to have adult relatives who also suffer from adult persistent acne than individuals who do not.

Similarly, a more recent study has demonstrated that individuals with a parental history of acne experience acne at a younger age than those without (sourced from the book 'Heredity: A Prognostic Factor for Acne').

The same study suggests that certain symptoms are significantly more prevalent when the father or mother alone experiences acne.  

According to The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, a study on twins has also suggested that acne is significantly based on genetic factors as opposed to environmental, lifestyle or other factors.

So basically, you can’t avoid inheritance as it runs in the gene pool.

Yes, I know it’s an unlucky thing to have but it’s something you have to live with it.

I would know, I’ve lived with it almost all my life  I know, such an unfortunate soul, right?

However, there is a smart way to strike a balance between nature and nurture.

And that's when skincare comes in too. I’ve discovered that there are ways to manage and combat this problem with some simple solutions.

I'm embarking on an interesting mission to help everyone have better skin & to ensure that nobody is misinformed about acne 

Having done my research, here are the top 5 common misconceptions that I'd like to myth-bust!

Myth #1 Acne is a contagious disease.

You can't get acne by touching another person's acne or sharing food with a person with acne

Myth #2 Acne spots are due to bad hygiene.

You should resist the temptation to repeatedly cleanse, treat and fuss over your acne as it will aggravate the skin

Myth #3 Acne problem is a teenage problem

Adult acne happens too. It affects a diverse range of people from teens, pregnant women, adults and even the elderly

Myth #4 Chocolate causes acne

Nonsense. Enough said. 

Myth #5 Pop the pimple and it will go away

Picking it will leave open sores vulnerable to bacteria and infection, worsening your condition

So where am I going with this, you wonder?

Like I said before, I'm on a mission to discover and spread the truth about acne. I’m affirmative that everyone reading this right now knows at least one person with acne and bad skin, right? 

To be honest, I'd like to know the complete truth – learning about different skin types, what really causes acne and how to address this issue. 

I'm proud to say that I will be joining the cause as a truthseeker to fight acne and shed light to others who are currently facing acne problems or even know someone with this problem.

Long story short, I'm out to help people with acne-prone skin to get out of this damned problem.

WHY?

Because I know how terrible it can be, how ugly you can feel

and how much time you take to try to make yourself look better.

I've been there, and done that.

Thus I'm participating in the Lead the Way Blogger Challenge by Papulex Asia.

Log on to Papulex's Official Facebook page to know more about this cause!

I may be free from acne now, but my scars remain 

(You probably can't see it. Pro-tip : Black & white does wonders for acne scars!)

Stay tuned to my next article as I will be opening up and sharing the ugly truth on my battle with acne.

What I faced everyday living with it, how severe it was and how it made me feel throughout the whole ordeal.

Be prepared for some ugly photos of my acne-ridden self as well! 

What to expect? Well I looked something like this –

Yeah, very ugly right?

Well, I got through it. I survived