A more or less direct relation between the diet and skin conditions is not infrequently observed. It is therefore a matter of some importance to regulate the diet in many, if not most, cases of skin diseases.

1. Acne

In both the acne vulgaris and acne rosacea the diet should be simple and light. The patient should avoid condiments, pastries, rich puddings, and sweets.

2. Erythema nodosum is associated usually with gout, rheumatism, or malaria, and, being only an accompanying symptom of those diseases, should have no special diet other than the diet prescribed for the disease which it accompanies.

3. Psoriasis

In this disease there seems to be no special relation between the diet and the skin condition. It is customary, therefore, to prescribe for the patient a diet indicated by his general condition. If he is corpulent, use the diet fitted to reduce adipose. If he is constipated, use a diet directed to the correction of that symptom, and so on.

4. Purpura

As this disease has apparently been caused, in certain cases, by the use of asparagus, this vegetable should be excluded from the diet; otherwise a light mixed diet may be used.

5. Urticaria (Hives)

Between this condition and the food there seems to be a more or less intimate relation. Some people are unable to eat even a small portion of some particular vegetable or fruit, as, for example, strawberry or banana, without being afflicted with an aggravated case of urticaria. This is to be considered an idiosyncrasy. Food that is poison to one person may be not only pleasing, but altogether wholesome and advantageous to another. Such food idiosyncrasies are certain to be discovered early in life. After it has been discovered that some particular food causes any serious disturbance, whether urticarial or otherwise, the rational procedure is to omit that food from the dietary. This omission of foods which precipitate attacks of urticaria is the only dietetic precaution to be observed.

6. Xanthoma diabeticorum - As the name suggests, this skin affection being an accompaniment of the diabetic condition, the diet must naturally be that described above for the systemic condition of diabetes.