Psychodermatology of Acne: Psychological Aspects and Effects of Acne Vulgaris

Introduction: Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin condition seen commonly in adolescence and young adulthood. Despite being a frequent and nonthreatening life condition, acne has a significant psychological impact and comorbidity.

Aims: This review will describe prevalence, common clinical features, different clinical presentations, differential diagnoses, and treatment recommendation. Special focus has been put on psychological aspects.

Methods: We conducted a literature search on PubMed from January 2001 to June 2020 with the search terms of Acne vulgaris, psychological, adolescents, anxiety, suicide, mood disorders. Reference lists of identified articles were examined for further relevant studies. The search was limited to English language articles. No specified quality criteria were used for study inclusion.

Results: The clinical manifestations of acne are very important in the differential diagnosis and its psychological implications.

Conclusion: Through this article, we conclude that despite being a frequent and nonthreatening life condition, acne has a significant psychological impact which requires effective treatment to improve the patient's skin and self-esteem.