Acne vulgaris: prevalence, beliefs, patients' attitudes, severity and impact on quality of life in Egypt

Worldwide, the prevalence of acne vulgaris is high. Community-based studies conducted within the last decade have reported prevalence rates from 49.8% to 93.2%. Acne vulgaris occurs in all ethnicities and races, and mainly affects adolescents. It is a chronic multifactorial, pleomorphic inflammatory skin disease of the pilosebaceous units. Acne vulgaris is characterized by formation of comedones, erythematous papules and pustules. Nodules and pseudocysts are less common, and scarring occurs in some cases.