What did people do for acne before modern times?

Question

My first question: how long has acne been around for? Was it a problem for teens back in the dark ages like it is for teens today? And what did people do for treatment? I'm thinking from all of the powder they put on their acne must have been worse. And what did people do around the early 1900's to about the 60's.

Answer 1

The history of acne reaches back to the dawn of recorded history. In Ancient Egypt, it is recorded that several pharaohs were acne sufferers[citation needed]. From Ancient Greece comes the English word 'acne' (meaning 'point' or 'peak'). Acne treatments are also of considerable antiquity:

Ancient Rome[citation needed]: bathing in hot, and often sulfurous, mineral water was one of the few available acne treatments. One of the earliest texts to mention skin problems is De Medicina by the Roman writer Celsus.

1800s: Nineteenth century dermatologists used sulphur in the treatment of acne. It was believed to dry the skin.

1920s: Benzoyl Peroxide is used

1930s: Laxatives were used as a cure for what were known as 'chastity pimples'. Radiation also was used.

1950s: When antibiotics became available, it was discovered that they had beneficial effects on acne. They were taken orally to begin with. Much of the benefit was not from killing bacteria but from the anti-inflammatory effects of tetracycline and its relatives. Topical antibiotics became available later.

1970s: Tretinoin (original Trade Name Retin A) was found effective for acne.[46] This preceded the development of oral isotretinoin (sold as Accutane and Roaccutane) in 1980.[47]

1980s: Accutane is introduced in America, and later found to be a teratogen, highly likely to cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. In the United States more than 2,000 women became pregnant while taking the drug between 1982 and 2003, with most pregnancies ending in abortion or miscarriage. About 160 babies with birth defects were born.[48] [49]

1990s: Laser treatment introduced

2000s: Blue/red light therapy

Answer 2

acne is nothing new.  and people back then weren't as vain and overly concerned with their physical appearance as you kids are today.