Perspectives and knowledge of acne vulgaris among young adolescents

• Published in: Pediatric dermatology Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 308 - 311
• Main Authors: Toy, Jeffrey, Wan, Vincent, Lee, Dong Goo, Liu, Chaocheng, Fleming, Patrick, Lynde, Charles
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-03-2023
• Subjects: Acne; acne vulgaris; Acne Vulgaris - psychology; Adolescent; Adolescents; Cicatrix; Cross-Sectional Studies; education; False information; Family; health literacy; Humans; Hygiene; Quality control; social media; Students; Teenagers; acne vulgaris; education; health literacy; adolescents; social media
• ISSN: 0736-8046; 1525-1470
• DOI: 10.1111/pde.15230

Acne occurs in up to 90% of young adolescents, but prior research has found that this population exhibits a limited understanding of acne and is vulnerable to myths and misinformation accumulated from family members, friends, and social media. We created a virtual presentation on skin hygiene, acne prevention, and acne‐associated stigma for adolescent youth (aged 9–13) to improve acne health literacy, which was reviewed by three board‐certified dermatologists. A descriptive cross‐sectional study using data collected for quality improvement (n = 209, total) revealed that approximately half (n = 102/202, 50.5%) of all students believed that acne could not be treated with medications, only 34.0% (n = 67/197) believed acne could impact their mental health, and most students incorrectly believed that dirt buildup (n = 124/209, 59.3%) and poor hygiene (n = 125/209, 59.8%) were pathogenic for acne. Our results stress the necessity of early evidence‐based educational interventions as a cornerstone to breaking self‐perpetuating myths and misinformation that may lead to acne mismanagement, delayed access to healthcare, and permanent scarring later in life.