Mild, persistent acne
I am 23 and have been suffering from mild but persistent acne for two years. Antibiotics and topical creams have not worked, neither have any of the alternative solutions - MSM powder, zinc of vitamin B5 supplements. I am thinking about Chinese medicine but am not sure how effective it would be on a skin complaint like mine?
Acne is the most common skin disorder and, increasingly, affects adults as well as teenagers. It is not caused by junk diets but by hormones and a bacterial infection by an organism that, in many cases, has become resistant to the antibiotics that may be prescribed. In addition, the long-term use of antibiotics will disrupt your digestive system and may lead to serious food intolerances and a worsened skin condition,
Chinese medicine will, at least, take an holistic approach to the problem but, co-incidentally, your letter arrived on the same day that I learned of a new study, the results of which are about to be published, which has investigated the impact of light therapy on acne.
According to the 10,000-strong Acne Support Group, the results are encouraging with over 70% of those participating in the trial reporting significant improvement. The doctor pioneering this treatment, Dr Tony Chu, who is based at the Hammersmith Hospital in London and who has dedicated his career to finding a drug and chemical-free treatment for acne. He has been quoted as saying his findings show light therapy is the most significant advance in the treatment of acne for two decades.
The treatment relies on the use of a device called the DermaLux - a kind of light bow which the user sits in front of for 15 minutes a day. The theory is that the bacteria that can cause acne can be killed by the right mix of blue and red light. Patients in the recent trials of this device also applied benzoyl peroxide cream, twice a day.
*DermaLux costs £199 and is available by mail order only. Call 0800-0722122 for details. The Acne Support Group is on 0181-569 0959.