The latest word from the medical pimple establishment is that acne has nothing to do with diet. If you believe that, you'll believe anything. It's interesting to note, in this regard, that the test which "conclusively" proved that chocolate has no effect on the skin was funded by a very large manufacturer of chocolate candy.

As I write this, the latest and greatest medical treatment for acne consists of application of vitamin A acid, which causes the skin to peel, followed by swabbing the skin with an antibiotic. A year or two ago, the latest-greatest treatment consisted of vitamin A acid plus systemic tetracycline, a powerful broad-spectrum antibiotic.

When I was a teenager and bothered by pimples, as most teenagers are, my family doctor advised washing with brown soap. As a result of that treatment, my skin became highly irritated. The outcome was happy, though, because when I quit washing my face with any kind of soap, my skin improved greatly.

Before the era of brown soap, X-ray therapy was all the fashion. Countless thousands of youngsters fell prey to this medical fad, which was not only without any lasting benefit, but in some instances caused cancer years later. What the latest and greatest medical treatment for acne will be next year is anybody's guess.

When acne is mild, the best thing to do about it is nothing except to keep the skin clean. To get rid of acne: keep the skin clean! Vigorous scrubbing and application of all manner of chemicals will probably do more harm than good. Eventually, when the hormones of puberty settle down, the acne will most likely subside. Squeezing pimples which have not pointed, or otherwise abusing your skin, may cause pitting and scarring which won't go away when the acne does, so keep that in mind. The pimples will most likely be with you for only a few years, but the results of bathroom surgery can linger a lifetime.

Despite the official word on what causes acne, many people observe that eating certain foods aggravates their acne. Chocolate, nuts, and cola drinks are the most commonly implicated foods.

As far as nutrition goes, it's my overwhelming impression that the best course of action is to adopt a sensible well-balanced diet in which sweet junk foods and rich desserts like ice cream are eliminated. Any number of nutritional supplements may be helpful, so the reasonable course is a balanced and comprehensive program of nutritional supplementation.

Here are some excerpts which are typical of the experiences readers of PREVENTION magazine have reported: "When my son was 14 years old, he was bothered with acne and his face was all broken out, until some friends told me to get him some yeast tablets. He took one after every meal and in no time he was cured of acne."

"When I began regularly taking a natural B-complex pill, desiccated liver, and brewer's yeast, my acne began to clear. I mentioned this to a friend and she got the same results."

A 16-year-old girl who had suffered with acne since she was 12 cleared up her face "in one month" after she began taking vitamin A, vitamin E, and yeast tablets.

A woman said that on the advice of a roommate "my daughter began taking vitamin A and in only two weeks had no more new eruptions on her face for the first time in five years! But her face had become so scarred it took several weeks to notice that the scars too were gradually disappearing." The woman went on to explain that they were supposed to go to a dermatologist to have him reduce the scars when her daughter was 21, but this proved to be unnecessary as her scars "had just about all disappeared."

Zinc gluconate, which was introduced as a food supplement only recently, seems to hold considerable promise for acne sufferers. One woman said she had had acne for 12 years and had been to innumerable dermatologists who prescribed "treatments galore, all of which produced only slight improvement in my skin condition... First, I began taking increased amounts of vitamins A and B. However, most effective in my case, was the addition of dolomite and bone meal tablets (four to six a day) and zinc gluconate. Of these supplements, zinc produced the quickest improvement, and only 20 mg. a day has practically cleared up my acne completely. Of course, proper cleansing and a diet low in fats and carbohydrates must also be followed."

Another woman said, "For three years I suffered with acne and now after one month's supplementation with zinc, my face is beautifully clear. Friends too are getting astonishing results."

Still another woman said she had had acne since she was 14, and at the age of 22 began taking 30 mg. of zinc a day. After three weeks, she noticed that her skin had "considerably cleared up."

A few years ago, we published a letter from a woman who achieved remarkable results with capsules of acidophilus, a concentrated form of the beneficial bacteria found in yogurt. She had suffered with acne, she said, for over 20 years. "Then I started taking acidophilus capsules and within a matter of days the acne disappeared, and I have remained free of it as long as I continue to take acidophilus."

Subsequently another reader said that she showed the letter written by the first woman to her dermatologist "who immediately dismissed the remedy as old-fashioned, a joke. The next day I went out and purchased those capsules and liquid and now, over one month later, I am convinced that the liquid acidophilus has caused the acne to cease and my skin to feel smooth."

There's a peculiar kind of acne which accompanies menstruation, and for this, Dr. B. Leonard Snider of Erie, Pennsylvania, suggests that vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, can be helpful. He told that he put 106 teenagers—none of whom was known to be taking oral contraceptives—on daily B6 supplements for one week preceding and then during the time of menstruation, for an average of three periods. Seventy-six girls reported that the supplement reduced the acne flare by 50 to 75 percent, while the other girls could notice no difference. The report I have does not mention the amount of B6 he used, but 20 to 50 mg. a day would probably be appropriate.

The most important!!!

To get rid of acne the natural way: keep the skin clean!