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ABSTRACT
ACNE VULGARIS: Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease characterized by nonninflammatory follicular papules or comedones and by inflammatory papules, pustules, and nodules. It is generally a disease of very young people starting at puberty and going for some years. In very few percentages it can extend beyond the age of 25 and even upto 45 years. Local symptoms may include pain or tenderness. Systemic symptoms are most often absent, but in Acne fulminans arthralgia and fever can be present. Acne affects mostly the areas of the skin where there is dense population of sebaceous follicles. These areas include the face, the upper part of the chest and the back. Follicular epidermal hyperproliferation with subsequent plugging of the follicle, excess sebum, Propionbacterium acnes, and inflammation play the key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The diagnosis of acne is clinical. Medical treatment, which can either be local or systemic, is targeted towards the four pathogenetic factors. Among the topical ones are topical retinoids, topical antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide. Systemic treatments comprise systemic antibiotics, hormones and systemic retinoids.
Treatment during pregnancy is a challenge since many of the medications are not safe during pregnancy. Surgical interventions like manual extraction of comedones, intralesional steroid injection, phototherapy, dermabrasion and surgical correction of scars on the face have also a role in the management.
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