Clearing up myths about acne.

More than 16,000,000 American teenagers suffer from acne. Yet, although they sympathize with their offspring's acne problems, a national survey conducted on behalf of Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp. found that most parents do not understand what causes the condition or how to help treat it. They mistakenly believe that their child's acne is the result of diet (52%), oily hair (68%), or not washing the face enough (78%). The survey also found that:

* Fifty-eight percent of parents admitted that acne has a psychological impact on their teenager's social life. Another 20% believe that people avoid a youngster who has acne.

* Approximately two-thirds of teenagers use over-the-counter (OTC) products in an effort to find relief, but most are dissatisfied with the results. More than half of those who purchased an OTC product stopped using it because it did not work as expected.

* About 14% of teenage acne sufferers use prescription medications in an effort to find relief. Approximately 60% of those who saw a physician and subsequently treated their condition with prescription medications Were very satisfied with the results.

"There are millions of teenagers unhappy with their...