What Italians think about acne: results of a survey on 2327 acne patients and their mothers.

BACKGROUND

The psychological impact of acne is comparable to that experienced by patients with severe diseases; however, most of the people does not consider acne as a true disease. We evaluated beliefs, sources of information and knowledge about acne in Italian adolescents and their mothers.

METHODS

This survey was carried out in 2327 acne patients and their mothers (4654 subjects) by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on ten questions: seven questions for the patients and three questions for their mothers.

RESULTS

All the 2327 patients and their mothers completed the survey. Approximately 75% of patients declared that acne has a negative influence on their self-esteem and relationships; furthermore, 87% of patients stated that acne limits their social life. Finally, 65% of patients declared that they are under treatment, but only in 20% of cases the treatment was prescribed by a dermatologist. The mothers considered pollution, wrong diet and hyperseborrhea as the most important etiological factors. They considered the treatment suggested by a cosmetologist and contraceptive pill as the best one; only 8% of mothers reported that they regularly took their children to the dermatologist.

CONCLUSIONS

In order to improve the treatment and the quality of life in acne patients, there is a need to improve awareness about this disease and its causes and to highlight the role and importance of dermatologists.