Abstract
Background and Objectives: Acne vulgaris is a self-limiting skin disorder involving pilosebaceous units of adulescences. Several factors have been suggested to influence acne including medication, climate, stress, diet, mensturation, genetic and sex. There are contradictory reports on the relationship between acne and cigarette smoking. The objective of this study was to examine the relation between distribution, severity of acne and smoking in a case – control study.
Materials and methods: During 1 year of study a questioner on smoking habits, distribution, severity of acne was filled for 110 patients with acne Vulgaris alone and 110 patients suffering from acne Vulgaris and smoking, attending in the Sina clinic. Data were analysed by SPSS.
Results: This study was carried out on 110 smokers (106 male, 4 female) and 110 non-smokers ( 105 male, 5 female ). The mean age for beginning of acne was 16.11 (SD=2.3) & 16.44 (SD= 2.31) for smokers & non- smokers respectively. The mean age of patient was 22.89(SD= 4.59) and 24.47 (SD= 6.72) as compared above. There wasn’t any significant difference of acne severity between two groups, no association between site involvement and smoking could be found in smoker group but in the respect to non-smokers, The anterior aspect of chest was commonly involved (P= 0.036 ). A significant relationship between acne severity and number of cigarettes smoked daily observed (P= 0.02).
Conclusion: An association between acne severity & cigarette smoking was found in this study and the involvement of anterior chest was more common.