Impact of acne relapses on quality of life and productivity

In a study of teenagers and adults suffering from acne who consulted their dermatologist, the acne relapse rate was 44 %, (39.9 %  of ≤20-year-olds and 53.3 percent of >20-year-olds). The Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology study, which was supported by La Roche-Posay Dermatological Laboratories, also showed that acne relapses are significantly associated with impaired quality of life, as well as with productivity loss and absenteeism from work or school. In Metropolitan France, for example, the number of days lost due to acne relapses would total 350,000 days per year. An online self‐administered questionnaire was proposed to ≥15‐year‐olds suffering from acne who spontaneously consulted their dermatologist. To ensure homogeneous assessment of acne severity, the Global Acne Severity (GEA) scale was applied. Quality of life was assessed via Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI), SF12‐physical score (PS), and SF12‐mental score (MS) questionnaires. Productivity loss or absenteeism in middle/high school was estimated based on the number of days off work or school over the last 30 days. Overall, 1,048 questionnaires were considered assessable, with 448 (43%)…