James Fulton (dermatologist)

Fulton was born on February 25, 1940, in Ottumwa, Iowa, but raised in California.[1] His father was an executive with the Cracker Jack company.[1] He was plagued by acne during his early life, which would lead to his choice of dermatology as a career.[1] Fulton earned both his bachelor's degree and medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, where he was a collegiate swimmer as an undergraduate.[1]

In 1969, Fulton, Dr. Albert Kligman and Dr. Gerd Plewig released their study, "The Effect of Chocolate on Acne Vulgaris," through the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study followed sixty-five participants, who suffered from moderate acne, who were given two types of candy bars to eat. One group of participants were given candy bars containing no chocolate.[1] The second group were given bars containing more chocolate than the average candy bar at the time.[1] The trio concluded that chocolate consumption did not contribute to acne, although the study was funded by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association.[1]

Fulton and his wife and business partner, Sara Fulton, a chemist, established Vivant Skin Care in 1990 in California.[1] The company was relocated to South Florida in 2000.[1] Their line of Vivant Skin Care products, which are manufactured at a facility in Miami Lakes, Florida, uses Vitamin A therapies which were patented by Fulton.[1] Their daughter, Kelly Fulton-Kendrick, served as CEO of Vivant, as of 2013.[1]

Fulton released a 2001 book, Acne Rx: What Acne Really Is And How To Eliminate Its Devastating Effects, in which he detailed he experience as both a researcher and a patient. In the book, Dr. Fulton called acne "complicated, mysterious and devious disease, the treatment is remarkably simple and control is finally possible."[1] The book earned him appearances on the talk show circuit, including ABC's The View.[1]

Fulton died of colon cancer on July 4, 2013 at Mercy Hospital in Miami, Florida, at the age of 73.[1][2] A resident of Key Biscayne, Florida, he was survived by his wife, Sara Fulton, and their four children, Kelly Fulton-Kendrick, Susan Fulton-Arregui, James E. Fulton III, and George J. Fulton.[1]

Fulton had met his wife Sara while he was a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and was working as an anatomy teacher in Penn's nursing department.[1] Sara first saw Fulton in an elevator and faked a rash to obtain an appointment with him.[1] They married during lunch on February 2, 1970, and then returned to their labs after the ceremony to continue their research for the rest of the day.[1]

Fulton and his wife raised four children in Newport Beach, California.[1] They continued to own a home in Newport Beach from 1975 to 2004.[1]