Copyright 2005 George ForganSmith

Acne is a common skin condition, which can be extremely mild or
quite disfiguring. Having had a rather bad case as a young
adolescent, I know the kind of socially embarrassing
consequences it can have for the victim but I also remember it
being sore and painful, filling my life with discomfort. It
lingered a long time until I went to a dermatologist who used a
type of freezing process, mechanically removing excessive puss
from the lesions in relatively non-painful way. There were also
topical notions. The result was total success, without scarring.

Until I went to a dermatologist, though, there was little or no
gain in getting rid of this foul condition. I, like other
children, were subject to disturbing concepts of its origins.
Although this was a long time ago, these myths have stayed
around- often causing grave delays in seeking treatment.

One of the myths is that acne is caused by everyday dirt and
surface oil on the skin and that the solution is frequent and
vigorous washing of the skin. Vigorous washing of the face to
cure acne is a myth. The fact is- the problems that have caused
chronic acne are deeper, beneath the skin’s surface and that
only a mild washing of the face is in order, often accompanied
with specific solutions prescribed for treating the acne by a
dermatologist. Vigorous washing of the face, particularly with
harsh soaps, can lead to a further irritation of the tissue.
There is, in part, a bacteriological condition that contributes
to acne and it is below the surface.

Another idea is that acne is caused by stress. Scientific
research seems to indicate that stress alone probably does not
lead to acne, but it may be aggravated by stress. But,
unfortunately, acne can result from certain prescriptions that
are used to treat stress. So, if you are on certain drugs
related to stress, you should certain talk to your
dermatologist, the appropriate type of physician for dealing
with this problem. According to Doctor James Fulton, a pioneer
in the treatment of acne, lithium, a substance sometimes used in
profound psychological disorders, can aggravate an acne
condition.

Another myth that can lead to profoundly unpleasant consequences
is that one should let acne run its course, “grow out of it.” As
I myself know too well, acne can linger for years and get worse
and worse. At the end of my experience, my acne was very
disfiguring and covered my whole face and part of my neck. It
was hard to keep my hands off this uncomfortable, scaly, itchy
and sore condition. I was certainly a candidate for scarring. I
had a kind of skin emergency and I am glad that my parents were
smart enough and lucky enough to get me to the right place at
the right time.

Can acne be the consequence of poor nutrition? I think the jury
may be out on this one, but, for myself, I came to believe that
my excessive eating of chocolate and a lot of sugar products
were contributing factors to my acne. But, in my case, I did not
see any correlation before my medical treatment and it was
clearly medical intervention that helped me. There are certainly
many naturopathically oriented practitioners and some medical
doctors that share this view, though. Not everything in medicine
is a hundred percent clear cut and every acne victim should
certainly research all the alternatives.