Can extra Vitamins help cure acne?

A new book, Acne and Rosacea: The Complete Guide, by Alison Bowser, suggests that vitamins and supplements could be very useful at managing acne.

51 per cent of women aged 20-29 report still having acne. High-profile sufferers include Keira Knightley, Cameron Diaz and Katy Perry.

The good news is that for some people acne can be straightforward to treat. The goal is to stop new spots and to reduce redness. Acne can also be just as effectively treated from the inside (taking tablets) as it can from the outside (using creams).

Omega 3 (fish, nuts, eggs, chicken) is recommended to help promote healing, fight infection and improve cell function.

Vitamin A has a variety of roles in the body’s systems, including our vision, immunity and bone and skin health. Also known as a retinoid, Vitamin A is used in prescription creams and can be very effective for acne.

Vitamin E has been hailed as the ultimate vitamin to help the skin heal. It is sometimes recommended in liquid form to rub on to the skin to help acne scarring.

Applying zinc to the skin as part of an antibiotic/zinc combination can be very useful in managing acne as it has anti-inflammatory properties.

It should be noted that treatments are not intended to reverse any existing scars and they are not one-off wonders that need to be used for only a few days. Any treatment must be given at least two months to work.