Q: I am a 26-year-old woman married for the last two years. I weigh 72 kg and my height is 171 cm. I have been suffering from acne / skin allergies for the last 5-6 years, which started after I suffered from jaundice six years back. I have been under various allopathy / homeopathy treatments until now, but my acne (pus filled) seems to recur once I stop the medication. I get acne on my face, cheeks, nose, ears and forehead. I also get huge boils on my legs, thighs, buttocks and underarms, and they seem to aggravate during my menstrual cycle. But the acne on my face are not many and vary anywhere between 4-5, which are pus filled. I also have dark / rough elbows. I have oily skin and hair, and my hair tends to get oily the second day after I shampoo it. I have been using Dove soap consistently and various shampoos to figure out the right one. I drink plenty of water(6 litres), have various fruits like orange, apple, and papaya, all kinds of vegetables and greens and less oily / spicy food. I apply Loreal cream on my face and Vaseline moisturiser on my body regularly.I also have irregular bowel movement and excess gas formation post my afternoon meal. I am not sure if this could be contributing to the problem. What dietary or lifestyle modifications do I need to make to get rid of my problem?

A:Acne normally resolves spontaneously by mid-twenties. However, 10 per cent can continue beyond this age. Aim of the treatment is to prevent permanent scarring. Once controlled, maintenance therapy has to continue till the tendency persists. One tries to achieve this with minimum medication possible. In 90-95 per cent cases, above can be achieved with conventional medication. In recalcitrant cases, Isotretinoin may have to be given. In females one can also use Diane 35. Large boils on the other parts of your body appears to be another, probably infective disorder. Recurrent pyoderma may be due to lowered body resistance (which may need investigation), inadequate treatment, resistant bacterial infection, re-infection or some other predisposing skin disorder.