The Disease Without a Cure

In order to gain some knowledge about dermatology, I decided to pick up a book from my school library about the skin.  It is called "Dr. Fulton's Step-by-Step Program for Clearing Acne" by Dr. James E. Fulton Jr. and his wife Elizabeth Black.  I will be reading one chapter a day in order to complete the book by January 8.  So far, I have read the first two chapters.  I will share with you the main points of each chapter as well as my thoughts and views on this book thus far.

Chapter one called "Facing Up to Acne" stresses the fact that acne is a disease without a cure.  Dr. Fulton compares acne with diabetes. Diabetes, like acne, is not curable but can be controlled by using insulin.  Although acne does not have a cure, it can be controlled by using a variety of topical ointments and antibiotics.  This chapter shared the statistical fact that only 11% of acne sufferers chose to seek medical attention.  Dr. Fulton explains the possible reasons for why many people don't seek help for their acne such as how people consider acne a part of puberty.  Acne can cause serious psychological problems so Dr. Fulton advises acne sufferers to seek medical attention in order to control their flareups and boost their confidence.

Chapter two, "Let's Bury the Myths" is all about what this title states; putting down acne myths!  Dr. Fulton did a study while attending residency at the University of Pennsylvania about the effects of fat and chocolate on acne.  The popular myth states that eating these foods causes acne to flare up.  His study showed that fat and chocolate did not cause acne flareups.  Another popular myth that Dr. Fulton proved wrong was the belief that acne is a teenage problem.  Many young children and older adults deal with this disease as well. 

I am really enjoying this book so far.  It is very interesting to learn about the skin in detail.  Not only will I obtain knowledge that will help me in the future when I become a dermatologist, but I will also implement his tips and tricks on my own skin to see if his facts are legit. It was also interesting to learn about Dr. Fulton's back story into what inspired him to be a dermatologist.  He expressed the fact that he was an acne sufferer when he was a teenager.  In fact he suffered from one of the worst types of acne, cystic acne, which leaves scars as the cyst pulls the skin inward as it heals.  Dr. Fulton wanted to discover methods of treating acne so that he can save others from the scars of acne.

Dr. Fulton and Elizabeth Black are motivated to wipe out acne's effects in a single generations.  They will get closer to this goal as people read this book one page at a time.

I am really looking forward to reading the rest of this book.  All of the information packed in this book will be extremely important to me when I become a practicing dermatologist.  Hopefully I can help Dr. Fulton and Elizabeth Black achieve their goal of eliminating this disease from the general public for good.