Global, regional, and national burdens of acne vulgaris in adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years from 1990 to 2021: a trend analysis

Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition affecting adolescents and young adults worldwide, yet data on its burden and trends remain limited. We aimed to investigate trends in the burden of acne vulgaris among adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years at global, regional, and national levels. We retrieved data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021 for individuals aged 10-24 years in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We analyzed the numbers, age-standardised rates, and average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) of the prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for acne vulgaris at the global, regional, and national levels. Additionally, we examined these global trends by age, gender, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Globally, the age-standardised prevalence rate of acne vulgaris among adolescents and young adults increased from 8,563.4 per 100,000 population (95% UI 7,343.5-9,920.1) in 1990 to 9,790.5 (95% UI 8,420.9-11,287.2) per 100,000 population in 2021, with an AAPC of 0.43 (95% CI 0.41-0.46). The age-standardised incidence rate and age-standardised DALY rate also showed a similar upward trend. Regionally, Western Europe had the highest age-standardised prevalence, incidence, and DALY rates, while North Africa and the Middle East had the largest increase in these rates. By SDI quintile, the high SDI region had the highest age-standardised prevalence, incidence, and DALY rates from 1990 to 2021, whereas the low-middle SDI region had the lowest burden of acne vulgaris but experienced the most significant increase in these rates. Globally, the age-standardised prevalence rate of acne vulgaris in 2021 was approximately 25% higher in females than in males (10,911.8 per 100,000 population vs. 8,727.8 per 100,000 population). Among all age groups, adolescents aged 15-19 years had the highest age-specific prevalence rate, while adolescents aged 10-14 years experienced the largest increase from 1990 to 2021 (AAPC = 0.50, 95% CI 0.48-0.52). The burden of acne vulgaris among adolescents and young adults has continued to increase in nearly all countries since the 1990s. Managing this condition remains a significant challenge, necessitating more effective and targeted interventions to control the acne burden.