Acne scars in 18-year-old male adolescents: A population-based study of prevalence and associated factors

Background: acne vulgaris is a pilosebaceous follicle disorder affecting over 85% of adolescents to some degree. it frequently causes psychological distress that may persist into adulthood due to scarring. little information about post-acne scarring epidemiology is available. o b jectives: to describe prevalence,distribution patterns and associated factors of acne scarring in young males,drawing on a representative population sample from a southern brazilian city. methods: a cross-sectional study was undertaken during presentation for military service,which is compulsory for all 18-year-old males. a questionnaire was applied,covering topics like diet,smoking habits,ethnicity,family structure,socio-economic level,as well as specific questions about active acne and resulting scars. dermatologists conducted the clinical examination. r esults: a total of 2,201 male adolescents were interviewed and examined. the overall prevalence of acne scarring was 22%. the malar region was the most frequently involved,present in 80% of affected individuals,followed by the frontal region (31.5%),back (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 with educational level,smoking,ethnicity,obesity or socio-economic status. c onclusions: there is a high prevalence of acne scars among this population. this is the first study to ascertain a correlation between acne scarring and factors such as socio-economic status and educational level. the direct relation between acne severity and scarring indicates that prompt and effective treatment is the best way to reduce scarring. © 2016 by anais brasileiros de dermatologia.