The blackheads and sometimes painful pimples that we know as
acne occur most commonly during adolescence, but they may
persist into later life as well. There is much we still don't
understand about what causes acne. We do know that during
adolescence and other times of hormonal imbalance, such as
around menopause, glands in the skin increase their levels of
oil secretions. A combination of naturally occurring yeast and
bacteria then breaks down these secretions, causing the skin to
become inflamed and the pimples to eventually rupture. In severe
cases, acne can lead to permanent scars. Conventional treatment,
which usually is quite successful, consists primarily of oral or
topical antibiotics, cleansing agents, and chemically modified
versions of vitamin A . Note : Do not rely on any of the natural
treatments discussed in this article to treat severe acne in
which scarring is a possibility. Principal Proposed Treatments
for Acne Several double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have
found zinc more effective t