The Washington herald., 1922-09-12

NEW YORK - Especial corre-
spondence.)-Of all the ills the
flesh is heir to or acquires by un-
hygienic ways of living. 1 do not
believe there is a single item which
causes more actual unhappiness
and mental torture than a blem-
ished complexion. Almost any one
can laugh and be fat: be fearfully
skinny and laugh with her tor
mentors; lose a few handfuls of
hairs and be terrified, yet still be
able to extract a smile over the
remaining ones. But for a young
person whose skin is marred with
acne. blackheads. or pimples there
is nothing but abject misery.
Time after time girls, and boys.
too. write me they are ashamed to
go out because of poor complex
ions. A pity when, with the ex-
ception of a few rare cases. IL is
something that may be remedied,
and in comparatively short time. In
fact. ninety-nine cases out of a
hundred may be prevented by the
simplest precautions, for the most
part the free and generous appli-
cation Of nothing more complicated
than soap and water and. as grand
ma used to say. elbow grease"
The Root of the EVIL
There are some fortunate per-
sons with that quality Of skin so
fine grained that blackhead trouble
escapes them entirely, and conse-
quently pimple and acne conditions.
Few. however. may lay claim to
spotIess reputation as far as black
heads are concerned. At one time
OF another they have had to face
the disfguring comedones and ap-
ply a few extra measures to make
good their departure.
In treating all three OF the most
frequent complexion ills, you may
boil your energy down to an at
tack upon those blackheads already
imbedded and on their prevention.
Because pimples and acne are really
nothing more or less than an in
fiammation of the sebaceous glands
and hair follicles. the tiny come
done being the root of the evil of
Inflammation.
Prevail During Adolescence.
II the skin is kept free from
blackheads. which usually begin to
make their appearance on the face
at the most self-conscious age. the
and mental distress
would be reduced to almost nothing.
Blackheads are masses of fat and
debris of the skin which have
solidified in the glands. These
masses act as foreign bodies. irri-
tate the skin. and become infected
and then infiamed.
Most frequently the face is chiefly
affected. Again. the face. back. shoul-
ders, and chest are troubled. II
treatment is not given early. there
is great danger of scars from pro-
Ion red Inflammation; at any rate, en-
larged pores will result which give
the same pitted effect to the face.
The prevalence of acne during ado
that time the fat glands. like the
hair follicles, take on a new activity.
The secretion OF fat is greatly in
disturbance OF the function to cause
the accumulation Of fat in the glands
and the formation of blackheads.
Persons with coarse pores and large
fat glands have the worst cases OF
acne.
Face Most Troubled
Conditions OF the general health
influence the development of this
found associated with cold hands
and feet. and not uncommonly with
dyspepsia and constipation, or other
Irregularities which lower the vigor
and impair the resistance.
The face is most troubled because
II is the most exposed part Of the
body and because sweat glands are
abundant there and are easily chok-
ed with dust and CRIME. which add
to the Disagreement.
With normally healthy people,
then, II Is a matter of local care
almost exclusively. II the circula-
tion is good. the digestion good, and
elimination regular. you may pin
your faith on the flesh brush, soap,
and water.
The vigOr with which you scrub
Is determined by the condition of
the skin. A thin and dry skin will
perhaps be less affected. but will
require care to prevent an unduIy
dry or chapped condition. In severe
blackhead trouble. however. II the
skin is greasy and thick. there Is
little danger OF scrubbing too vigor-
ously. Treat daily with one good
scrubbing with warm water, good
soap. and a rough washcloth or
flesh brush-preferably the latter,
with moderately stiff bristIes.
Before scrubbing apply a good
cleansing cream. allow IT to remain
until absorbed. then wipe off. The
oil in the cream penetrates the hard
masses In the pores and helps In the
evacuation. Now for the warm
water and soap. followed by a warm
water rinse to remove all soap and
grease. a rinse in cold water, and
finally an alcohol sponge, which
completes the cleansing process; or
give an ice rub to the pores and
tone the skin.
Better Than Cosmetics.
I have a letter from a girl whom
| advised some time ago to follow
these directions. She gives me a
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