Acne vulgaris

Disease class: Acneiform eruptions
Disease class: Sebaceous gland diseases 

Symptoms

• Anxiety or depression due to aesthetic concerns
• Pain (mild)
• Pruritus (mild)
• Discharge from skin lesions
• Desquamation

 

Signs

• Comedones (white heads and blackheads)
• Cysts
• Inflammatory skin lesions 
• Erythema 
• Swelling
• Infectious exudate (pus)
• Scars 
• Predisposition to affect skin of face, upper chest, shoulders, and upper back.

 

Contributing factors

• Overproduction of sebum
• Colonisation of the skin with Cutibacterium acnes
• High levels of circulating androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone)
• Genetics

 

Unrelated factors

• Hygiene 
• Sun exposure

Management

• Topical vitamin A analogues 
• Topical antibiotics (lymecycline, tetracycline) 
• Oral antibiotics
• Oral isotretinoin