Association of Plasma Zinc Status with Severity of Lesions in Patients with Acne Vulgaris: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace mineral that plays a critical role in maintaining overall skin health and functionality. Zn deficiency has been linked to various dermatological conditions, including acne, eczema, and delayed wound healing, highlighting the mineral’s indispensable role in promoting skin resilience and health. Some investigators have refuted these findings. Objective: was to determine plasma Zn level and Zn status in patients with Acne vulgaris (AV) belonging to Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and to find any possible relationship between Zn status & severity of the acne lesions. Methods: Hundred patients of either sex with untreated AV were randomly selected in a cross-sectional study. Based on the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) the acne lesions were categorized as mild, moderate & severe. Blood samples were taken for determination of serum Zn. The relationship of Zn status with severity of lesions was determined with Pearson Correlations coefficient (r). Results: The study included 42 males and 58 females with male to female ratio of 1:1.4. Mean age was 21.8 years. The average plasma zinc level across the cohort was 67.4 ± 12.6 µg/dL, with males showing slightly higher zinc levels (69.1 ± 11.8 µg/dL) than females (65.8 ± 13.2 µg/dL), though this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.092). 22% had mild acne, 46% moderate acne and 32% had severe acne. Patients with severe acne had significantly lower plasma zinc levels (60.2 ± 10.4 µg/dL) compared to those with mild acne (73.1 ± 13.1 µg/dL) (p < 0.01). Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between plasma zinc status and acne severity (r = -0.43, p < 0.001), indicating that lower zinc levels were associated with more severe acne. No significant gender differences were observed in the relationship between zinc levels and acne severity. Conclusion: Pasma Zn concentration is markedly decreased in patients with AV and the more severe is the lesion, the more Hypozincemia. Hence, Plasma Zn status is associated negatively with severity of AV lesions in the studied population.