Burned Beauty

The title was a teaser: "A New Face Without Surgery." Then, in six pages of text and startling pictures, Look magazine (circ. 6,700,000) described "Chemerasure," a new breakthrough in the beauty business. "The treatment." reported Look in its Aug. 29 issue, "is the latest advance in substituting a chemical for the surgeon's knife." The article was directed at "the thousands of women who spend millions of dollars each year hopefully trying to regain the facial appearance of their more youthful days." For $1,000 they could have a two-week stay at the Budkon Center in Westport, Conn., where a mild burning with buffered carbolic acid would wipe away sagging skin, wrinkles, freckles, acne scars, and the troubled look of middle age--all under the supervision of a former professor of dermatology.

No sooner had Look hit the stands than customers anxious for a carbolic facial made a beeline for Budkon. But not all the new clients were the sort that had been anticipated. Police, fire and health officials who also had had a look at Look showed up. They were bent on closing Budkon.

Four staff members were arrested on charges ranging from operating a hospital without a license and practicing medicine without a license, to violating state fire laws. Dr. Frank Combes, the veteran dermatologist who developed the Chemerasure process, was long gone, disgusted with Budkon. The seven patients in the midst of treatment remained at the Center under the supervision of state health officials. This week the seven will go home, and Budkon Center will soon be shuttered.

Look washed its hands of the whole affair. "Our article speaks for itself," said a spokesman. "It's a look at the medical process, which has been fully cleared. We don't think we need to comment on the repercussions." Dr. Franklin M. Foote, Connecticut State Health Commissioner, demurred: "We have serious questions about the procedure," said he.

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