Cicatrizes de acne em adolescentes masculinos de 18 anos : um estudo de base populacional de prevalência de fatores associados

Abstract

Background: Acne vulgaris is a pilosebaceous follicle disorder that affects more than 85% of adolescents in some degree, and frequently causes psychological distress that persists into adulthood due to scarring. There is lack of information about post acne scarring pathogenesis, and its treatment remains a challenge. Objectives:Background: Acne vulgaris is a pilosebaceous follicle disorder that affects more than 85% of adolescents in some degree, and frequently causes psychological distress that persists into adulthood due to scarring. There is lack of information about post acne scarring pathogenesis, and its treatment remains a challenge. Objectives: To describe the characteristics and distribution patterns of acne scarring and associated factors in young males, from a representative sample of the population in a city of southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-­‐sectional study was undertaken during the presentation for the military service, which is compulsory for all males when they turn eighteen years old. A questionnaire was applied with topics on diet, smoking habit, ethnicity, family structure, socio-­‐economic level and specific questions about active acne and its scars. Dermatologists conducted the clinical examination. Results: A total of 2.201 male adolescents were enrolled in the study. The overall prevalence of acne scarring was 22%. The malar region was the most frequently affected: more than eighty percent of participants had scars at this site, followed by the frontal (31.5%), back trunk (17%), anterior chest (8.2%) and mentonian region (6.4%). Correlation between the intensity of clinical acne and the presence of scars was found, but no association was observed when variables such as education level, smoking, ethnicity, obesity and socio-­‐economic status were accounted for. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate a correlation between acne scarring and factors such as socio-­‐economic status and education level. Nevertheless, larger, population-­‐based studies are needed to settle this question. The direct relation 16 between acne severity and scarring indicate that prompt and effective treatment is the best form of scarring reduction. To describe the characteristics and distribution patterns of acne scarring and associated factors in young males, from a representative sample of the population in a city of southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-­‐sectional study was undertaken during the presentation for the military service, which is compulsory for all males when they turn eighteen years old. A questionnaire was applied with topics on diet, smoking habit, ethnicity, family structure, socio-­‐economic level and specific questions about active acne and its scars. Dermatologists conducted the clinical examination. Results: A total of 2.201 male adolescents were enrolled in the study. The overall prevalence of acne scarring was 22%. The malar region was the most frequently affected: more than eighty percent of participants had scars at this site, followed by the frontal (31.5%), back trunk (17%), anterior chest (8.2%) and mentonian region (6.4%). Correlation between the intensity of clinical acne and the presence of scars was found, but no association was observed when variables such as education level, smoking, ethnicity, obesity and socio-­‐economic status were accounted for. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate a correlation between acne scarring and factors such as socio-­‐economic status and education level. Nevertheless, larger, population-­‐based studies are needed to settle this question. The direct relation 16 between acne severity and scarring indicate that prompt and effective treatment is the best form of scarring reduction.