Quality of Life in Patients with Mild or Moderate Acne Vulgaris

Acne vulgaris is a dermatological genetic-hormonal, chronic inflammatory illness, self-limited, in pilosebaceous locations, with formation of comedones, papules and cysts in which evolution to a greater inflammatory process is added, leading to formation of pustules and abscesses, with frequent cicatricial success, causing great psychological impact in patients affected by this disease. There are several acne-specific health related quality of life instruments; one of them is acne quality of life scale. There are a small number of studies about acne quality of life scale in literature. In our study, we aim to have a reliable scientific data about this subject and contribute to the literature. We used the first dimension of AQOLS for our study, social quality-quality of life. One hundred seventy-two patients were enrolled in this study. We have found correlation between female gender and SOCQOL. According to this result, we think that acne affects life quality of women more effective than men. We found a negative correlation between SOCQOL and age. When the age increases, SOCQOL decreases. We think about that so, when the patients get older, they get used to their acne lesions and SOCQOL scores decrease. There was correlation between pretreatment and SOCQOL. This means that life quality of a patient with acne decreases if the number of pretreatments increases. As the clinician determines the treatment, acne severity of the patient is important, but nowadays the defining of acne quality of life becomes more important for determining the method of the treatment. There are some tests for this. SOCQOL is the most useful test between them. We think that our study provides useful results for the literature. Additionally, we think a clinician shouldn't neglect the psychological statement of patients with acne as he/she determines the method of treatment.