Study: Facial, Truncal Acne Associated with Greater Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life

A recent study linked facial and truncal acne with more significant impact on health-related quality of life than only facial acne. Additionally, investigators also found that the adverse impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increased with greater severity of truncal acne, regardless of the severity of facial acne.

Acne can influence an increased risk of physical, psychiatric, and psychological sequelae, potentially affecting multiple dimensions of HRQoL; however, the morbidity associated with truncal acne is commonly misunderstood, according to the study findings.

According to the investigators, the objective of the study was to determine the severity and location of acne lesions and how they impact the HRQoL of those with the condition.

Participants included 694 subjects with facial and truncal acne and 615 with only facial acne, who all completed an international online survey. The participants self-graded the severity of their acne at different anatomical locations and completed the dermatology life quality index, according to the study authors.

The facial and truncal acne participants were twice as likely to report “very large” to “extremely large” impact on HRQoL as compared with the facial acne only participants. Further, the impact of acne on HRQoL increased with noticeable increasing acne severity on the face, chest, and back.

One major limitation of the study was the fact that temporal acne was not evaluated or estimated along with the other body parts, according to the study authors.

REFERENCE

Tan J, Beissert S, Cook-Bolden F, et al. Impact of facial and truncal acne on quality of life: A multi-country population-based survey. JAAD international. Volume 3, P102-110. April 27, 2021. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdin.2021.03.002