Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Jan 19:7:13-25.
doi: 10.2147/AHMT.S55832. eCollection 2016.

The epidemiology of acne vulgaris in late adolescence

Darren D Lynn  1 , Tamara Umari  1 , Cory A Dunnick  2 , Robert P Dellavalle  3
Affiliations
Review

The epidemiology of acne vulgaris in late adolescence

Darren D Lynn et al. Adolesc Health Med Ther. .

Abstract

Importance: Acne vulgaris is the most common skin condition affecting late adolescents across the globe. Although prior studies have evaluated epidemiologic patterns of acne vulgaris in various ethnicities and regions, adequate understanding of the worldwide burden of the disease associated with patients in their late adolescence (15-19-year olds) remains lacking.

Objective: To assess the global burden of the disease associated with acne vulgaris for late adolescents (15-19-year olds) and provide an overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment options for acne in this population.

Design: Database summary study.

Setting: Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 database.

Participants: Global Burden of Disease regions comprised countries with prevalence of acne vulgaris between the ages of 15 and 19 years.

Main outcomes and measures: Geographic region-level disability-adjusted life year rates (per 100,000 persons) associated with acne vulgaris in years 1990 through 2010. Median percentage change in disability-adjusted life year rates was estimated for each region across the specified study period.

Conclusion and relevance: Acne vulgaris-associated disease burden exhibits global distribution and has continued to grow in prevalence over time within this population. This continued growth suggests an unmet dermatologic need worldwide for this disorder and potential opportunities for improved access and delivery of dermatologic care. Our analysis of the literature reveals numerous opportunities for enhanced patient care. To that end, we highlight some of the effective and promising treatments currently available and address important factors, such as sex, nationality, genetics, pathophysiology, and diet, as they relate to acne vulgaris in late adolescence.

Keywords: GBD; diet; epidemiology; hormones; review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Acne vulgaris in late adolescence around the globe. Notes: (A) The proportional rate of DALYs of 15–19-year olds in a given region for acne vulgaris. (B) This figure demonstrates a similar finding when comparing developing and developed countries. Abbreviation: DALY, disability-adjusted life year.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cellular mechanisms hypothesized to govern the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. Abbreviations: GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone; IGF, insulin growth factor; DHT, dihydrotestosterone; FoxO1, Forkhead box protein O1; mTORC, mammalian target of rapamycin.
Figure 3
Figure 3
An earlier puberty onset for females triggers a higher incidence of acne vulgaris in the younger age ranges compared to men, regardless of a country’s economic level. Note: Change in the rates of incidence across all age categories compared between 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005 were negligible and, therefore, not included in the data set. Abbreviation: YLD, years living with the disability.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Seattle WI. GBD Compare. Seattle: University of Washington; 2013.
    1. Rea JN, Newhouse ML, Halil T. Skin disease in Lambeth. A community study of prevalence and use of medical care. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1976;30(2):107–114. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wolkenstein P, Grob JJ, Bastuji-Garin S, Ruszczynski S, Roujeau JC, Revuz J. French people and skin diseases: results of a survey using a representative sample. Arch Dermatol. 2003;139(12):1614–1619. discussion 1619. - PubMed
    1. Johnson MT, Roberts J. Skin conditions and related need for medical care among persons 1–74 years. United States 1971–1974. Vital Health Stat. 1978;11(212):i–v. 1–72. - PubMed
    1. Bhate K, Williams HC. Epidemiology of acne vulgaris. Br J Dermatol. 2013;168(3):474–485. - PubMed