I have had a lengthy battle with acne, including cystic until age 70.

Mother, born in 1922 had the same struggle. We both had only one child.

I encourage anyone in the field of research to explore this connection.

It certainly makes people miserable. Acne needs to be addressed probably on the hormonal/immune basis.

For women reading this, I encourage you to read on if your systems seem aligned with period/ovulation acne, then your resistance gets very low, allowing you to catch viruses.

Reading many forums, I have to laugh - treatment is so pathetic. An example: the use of light therapy (#4 on todays go-to list) - something Mother warned me could be carcinogenic after she tried a series of this in the 1930s!

In my 20s during late 60/1970s, the chief treatment was amoxicillin (1,000 mg/day/4 years) thereby killing all the good intestinal bacteria also, duh

Because of my infertility treatments in the late 80/1990s, I got to see how hormones worked in my own test kitchen. It was very predictable- injecting hormones, acne, then ovulation viruses. It was a cycle my poor husband still remembers. The hardship of infertility is multigenerational.

My niece was on Accutane for several years. I can imagine the hardships that you all have dealt with. Though a niece by marriage, she also had secondary infertility which later resolved.

This triad bears research as a package. In men, testosterone is constant. I doubt if the cyclic nature involving womens hormones would make mens acne better understood, though a start. All of us are a balance.

I beg that someone doing research in this field advance this topic. Its more than the word acne, something to be embarrassed about. Theres a real syndrome going on.

Mother, who caught pneumonia three times during her childbearing years, finally succumbed to her last battle with pneumonia just 4 months short of 100. She was in great shape, mentally and physically, other than that propensity to get ill.

At 72 after my big bout of pneumonia last year, I went to an immunologist who put me on a monthly biological injection which has truly helped! If this is you, dont be afraid to go to that extreme.

I do feel your pain, from using Comet cleaner on my face in the dormitory, to feeling like I was unmarrigable at 30. Hang in there! It does get better.

Its absolutely DESPICABLE that we are using treatments that didnt work from the 1930s and expecting a different result!

SCIENTISTS PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEYOND MARKETING ANOTHER PILL TO UNDERSTAND AND TREAT THIS COMPLEX SET OF CONDITIONS!?

Thanks for your time.