BACKGROUND Androgens are involved in the development of acne. The aim of this study was to find out if there was an association of serum testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in females with acne based on its severity. METHODS It was a cross sectional study, conducted in Dermatology unit of Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH), Rawalpindi. Duration of study was eight months. Adult f...

BACKGROUND Although hyperseborrhea, follicular hyperkeratinization, Propionibacterium acnes colonization and inflammation are found to be responsible in the pathogenesis of acne, the exact mechanisms are unknown. Vitamin A and E are basic antioxidants vital for health. Zinc is also an essential element for human. But these parameters of the effects on skin are not fully understood. We aimed to ...

Acne can have an important psychological impact. We surveyed 852 adolescents aged 12-25 years about their knowledge of acne and its treatment in a non-medical context. The study involved a questionnaire administered to callers to a youth telephone helpline in France. Callers were categorized into those who currently had acne, those who had had acne previously, and those who had never had acne. ...

BACKGROUND Acne is a common disease in adolescents, but there are no epidemiological data for acne in Brazil. OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence and degree of acne in adolescents from Sao Paulo and study socio-demographic factors, family history and lifestyle, associated with the disease. METHODS Cross-sectional study with 452 adolescents aged between 10 and 17 (mean=13.3 years), student...

Patients with acne often scratch their lesions. As scratching is also a part of the response to pruritic stimuli, this study aimed to determine whether itching accompanies acne. A total of 108 teenagers (mean age 15.8+/-1.8 years) with acne were included in the study. All participants completed a specially designed questionnaire on demographic and clinical data. Itching accompanying acne lesion...

BACKGROUND Studies of the psychosomatic correlates of self-excoriative behavior in acne have involved mainly women with acne excorieé. Little is written about the psychosomatic factors that affect men with acne. Excessive self-excoriation of acne lesions is an important clinical factor because it can prolong the course of the disease and exacerbate the deeper inflammatory process with an increa...

BACKGROUND Acne vulgaris is a highly prevalent skin disorder that affects almost all adolescents and can persist into adulthood. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an emerging treatment for acne that involves the use of a photosensitizer in combination with a light source and oxygen. METHODS We performed a systematic review of the literature and critically evaluated the studies. Sixty-nine clinica...

APC is a novel methionine-based zinc complex with antioxidants that has been used in acne as a nutritional supplement. This is based on the proven role of zinc and antioxidants in improving acne, specially the inflammatory lesions. The objectives of this study are to explore the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of APC in acne patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris. In this explor...

Oral contraceptives (OCs) can reduce acne by lowering the production of adrenal and ovarian androgens, by inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase, which in turn, reduces the levels of dihydrotestosterone, and by stimulating sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), thus reducing the levels of free testosterone. In newer OCs, such as Tricyclen and Diane-35, the progestin component is minimally androgenic and an...