If you think, as many do today, that acne is a recent historical development brought on by poor diets, pollution, or lack of exercise, think again. Acne has been written about since ancient times, including prescriptions for its treatment.
For instance, ancient Egyptian writings mention that several pharaohs suffered from acne. Not surprisingly, given their culture, superstitions were given for the cause of breakouts, such as telling lies, and magic, spells, and charms were offered as treatments. If your experience with acne has been anything like mine, you might feel desperate enough to try magic or a charm or two. In the Ebers Papyrus (dating to c. 1550 b.c.), the word aku-t is cited that was later translated as “boils, blains, sores, pustules, or any inflammatory swelling,” and some of its remedies are mentioned as animal origin preparations and honey.