Background: Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin condition among adolescents and young adults. A high body mass index is a risk factor for acne. People with a high body mass index (BMI) are more likely to have elevated levels of Insulin-like growth factor-1 and other factors that have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of acne.
Aim: To explore the possible relationship between BMI and the presence and severity of facial acne vulgaris.
Methods: A cross-sectional study included sixty patients diagnosed with acne vulgaris and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Body mass index (kg/m2) was calculated for all study participants by measuring their height and weight. Japanese Acne Grading System was used to evaluate acne severity.
Results: The mean patients' age was 27.80 ± 4.48. Males represented (51.7%) of our patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean BMI of patients and controls (28.13 ± 4.64 kg/m2, 28.31 ± 4.26 kg/m2, respectively). Acne prevalence was 45% among patients with a BMI > 30 Kg/m2, 23.3% in those with a BMI of 25-29.9 kg/m2, and 31.7% in those with normal BMI. Patients with severe acne had significantly elevated BMI (29.19 ± 3.28) when compared to those with mild (25.31 ± 5.59) and moderate acne (26.97 ± 4.82) (p< 0.001).
Conclusion: Acne vulgaris is more prevalent among patients with higher BMI values. Acne severity and obesity are interrelated