1: Do facials work in targeting acne and removing acne scars?

A Bella Skin Care spokesman said that regular salon treatment helps by controlling sebum production, healing existing acne scars and minimising pores.

Dr Chee Yew Wen, medical director of Wen & Weng Medical Group said that for mild acne, facials do help, depending on what the beauty salons do. For instance, microdermabrasion and mild chemical peels can help unclog pores.

Depressed scars, however, are harder to improve and require stronger lasers done by doctors. Extraction should be reserved only for comedones (blackheads and whiteheads). Moderate to severe acne, especially if pimples are inflamed and contain pus, should be treated by doctors where oral medication is usually required, Dr Chee added.

2: Does blotting frequently worsen acne as it encourages more oil to be produced in the skin?

Dr Derrick Aw, consultant dermatologist at National University Hospital, said that whether you blot or not, the body will still produce oil in the skin. It's not scientifically proven that blotting frequently encourages more oil to be produced. He added that it is all right to blot.

3: Should pimples, blackheads and whiteheads be extracted?

Extracting pimples is a no-no as the pressure applied to the skin may extend inflammation to other areas of the skin, said Assistant Professor Wong Soon Tee, consultant dermatologist and physician at Raffles Hospital.

Dr Aw said: 'You can extract blackheads using a blackhead extractor but you have to ensure the extractor is placed at an angle that is 90 degrees to the skin surface.'

4: Does washing your face more often get rid of acne?

Dr Aw said: 'It depends on what you use. If you have a lot of whiteheads and blackheads, choose something which contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). If you have inflamed acne with bumpy skin, use a cleanser which can kill the bacteria.'

Dr Chee added: 'Simple washing twice a day is more than enough. Over-washing in fact can worsen acne.'

5: Does tanning help to clear up acne?

Tanning only masks acne by evening out the skin colour temporarily. Skin may become dry and irritated after a tan which can prompt an acne outbreak. If you go under the sun a lot, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15, and which is non-comedogenic, that is, which does not tend to clog pores.

6: Will eating certain foods like chocolate or peanuts cause an acne outbreak?

Dr Wong said: 'Medically speaking, no, but I have observed peculiar instances in individual cases. Test yourself. If you get a breakout 10 times out of 10 when you eat a certain item, cut it out.'

7: Does stress cause acne?

Stress can worsen acne through the release of increased levels of hormones which form the adrenal glands which in turn over-stimulate the oil glands, said Dr Chee.

8: Can you wear make-up if you have acne?

Dr Wong said that it was best to stick with established brands.

Dr Aw advised using non-comedogenic make-up.

But Dr Chee cautioned: 'If you have make-up on, it is important to thoroughly remove it later as make-up can clog pores. I recommend my patients to use mineral-based make-up which is less comedogenic.

'I have seen many cases of a vicious cycle where the more acne a person gets, the more she tries to cover it up with make-up and the more the make-up blocks the pores.

If you have to wear make-up, don't wear it for prolonged periods.'

9: Does having large pores mean you will have acne?

A Bella Skin Care spokesman said that large pores refer to the pore size and are unrelated to having pimples or acne, although enlarged pores generally mean the person is susceptible to oily skin conditions and is prone to acne outbreaks.

Dr Chee said: 'People who have acne tend to have larger pores so the condition goes hand in hand.'

10: Does sex or masturbation cause acne?

All the doctors Mind Your Body spoke to said there was no data to suggest that sex or masturbation causes acne.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on Aug 6, 2008.