My dad had severe acne and has some fairly deep pock marks left over 25 years later to prove it, though I never noticed them until I started scarring. My brother has typical teenage mild/moderate acne that is fairly under control with OTC topicals. I have had acne for 12 years, with it turning moderate and starting to scar in the past 2. Every pimple on my face leaves a mild or moderate scar now despite topical treatments and a very healthy diet and supplements. I'm hoping that I'll grow out of it since I'm only 22 and my dad didn't grow out of his until he was 25, but there's the gender difference to take into account.
I don't believe genetics is the main cause of acne for most people, because if you look at groups of people who eat a healthy non-Western diet that is made up of unhealthy fast foods, milk products, sodas, etc. acne is almost non-existent.
For example...
From the Archives of Dermatology, December 2002 (Volume 138, Number 12) researchers found that:
"Acne vulgaris is virtually nonexistent in 2 nonwesternized populations: the Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Of 1200 Kitavan subjects (including 300 aged 15-25 years) and 115 Ache subjects (including 15 aged 15-25 years), no active cases of acne were observed over an 843-day period. Both Kitavans and Ache hunter-gatherers have in common a relative lack of Western influence, subsisting on low-fat and low-glycemic-load diets (eg, fruit, vegetables, fish, wild game)."
You see in this group of people, even these young teenagers from age 15 didn't have a single case of acne. Now isn't this the time period where most people in the Western world are supposed to get acne?
Okay this describes how their diet is healthy, but it doesn't explain genetic's influence on acne.
So let's observe other ethnicities from around the world who incorporated Western foods into their diet.
Here's a comment from the same study:
"Inuit Eskimo population was devoid of acne when following traditional living and eating habits, but developed acne prevalence comparable to Western societies when adapting to a Western lifestyle. Others have observed a similar transition in nonwesternized societies such as the Peruvian Indians and Bantu of South Africa."
You see, we could've explained that the Inuit Eskimos did not have acne because of their "clear skin genetics" and they were completely devoid of acne at one point in time. But after incorporating Western foods, acne appeared. Same goes for the Peruvian Indians, Bantu of South Africa, and even the Japanese (not included in this particular study)
That's why I think genetics and acne is way over-rated and greatly exaggerated. My dad has serious acne when he was a teenager and even sprouts a few pimples no and then in his late 50's. I had moderate acne also...but when I kept a strict diet, following supplementation my acne almost completely disappeared.
I don't even use any more of those useless benzoyl peroxide/salicylic acid washes anymore and never take antibiotics or drugs because acne always reappears no matter what when I use these treatments. BUT now that I eat a low GI, healthy diet along with supplementation, I almost always have clear skin.
Oh and if you want to look at that study, here's the link (you gotta sign up though):
I tried the diet thing and it made zero difference. Take a look at the fatty eating 3 big macs next time you walk by a McDonalds, and look at his crystal clear skin.