Acne among Patients visiting Outpatient Department of Dermatology Centres

• Published in: Journal of Nepal Medical Association
• Main Authors: Bikrant Dhakal, Rabin Basnet, Bibeka Shrestha, Birendra Kumar Yadav, Bidur Khatiwada, Raman Goit, Dinesh Neupane, Krishna Kharal
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Nepal Medical Association 2023
• Subjects: acne; scars; prevalence; Medicine (General); R5-920; SCAR
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.31729/jnma.8312; https://doaj.org/article/c5672c6319de4433b20e6900a141684c

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting the pilosebaceous unit. The clinical manifestations of acne include the development of comedones, papules, and pustules. Although generally considered benign, acne can have psychological impacts and cause disfiguring scars. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of acne among patients visiting outpatient department of dermatology centres. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting tertiary care skin centres from 15 June 2023 to 15 August 2023. The ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee. The severity of acne severity and scarring was determined. A convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: Among 2036 patients, acne was found in 386 (18.96%) (17.26-20.66, 95% Confidence Interval). The majority of participants have acne scar grade 2 (65.20%). Conclusions: The prevalence of acne among patients was found to be higher than in other studies done in similar settings.