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By: A.David Rahimi,MD,FAAD,FAACS (www.foreveryoung.net)

I recently came across an article on howtogetridofstuff.com that addressed treating acne and acne scarring. The article started out sounding relatively reasonable, urging patients to see a dermatologist if they have “too many” acne scars, but then suggested the following remedies.

I will cover each suggestion and try to give you a more medical perspective. My comments with be highlighted at the end of each paragraph. The article is written by Marvin? – It is not clear what his medical qualifications are.

• Drink lots of water: Water has amazing cleansing and rejuvenating properties. Some experts believe that the best way to treat acne scars naturally is to drink lots of water. Dead skin cells are shed off easier when your body is hydrated with enough water. New skin also grows faster and smoother when you have lots of water in your body.

I spend over 15 minute on pubmed.gov looking for even a single article that definitively shows drinking water affects acne or acne scarring. Pubmed.gov is the definitive research source and has every scientific article written in over 40 languages since the 1960s. It is free and can be accessed from any computer or library.  Drinking lots of water” is going to do little you for your acne and certainly nothing for the scarring. Too much water can cause can cause a variety of problems from electrolyte imbalance to very rare cases of CNS injury. I agree that drinking water should be part of a healthy diet but it won’t do much for your acne scarring.

• Eat fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables contain lots of vitamins and minerals that can help your skin restore its former beauty. They also contain juices which keep your body hydrated every day. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to make your skin grow healthier and heal acne scars.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is healthy but will not heal your acne scars; period.

• Load up on lemon juice: Lemon juice is a kind of citric acid that's very effective in reducing or getting rid of acne scars. Drink several glasses of lemon juice each day to help your dead skin cells shed faster. New skin cells will also grow healthier and add elasticity to your skin if you load up on lemon juice.

Are they serious? Drinking several glasses of lemon juice will cause a big hole in your stomach and may seriously interfere with absorption of naturally occurring nutrients and vitamins. Once again-no scientific basis for this at all.