Acne in childhood

Abstract

Abstract Acne is a common, chronic inflammatory disease of the skin. While it is primarily a skin disorder of adolescence, acne also occurs, less commonly, in children who have not yet reached puberty. This specific group of acne patients can be categorised into four categories, based on the time of onset; neonatal, infantile, mid-childhood and pre-pubertal acne. The presentation of acne in this younger population may be associated with systemic pathologies different from those in adolescent acne. Clinical assessment should focus on securing symptoms and signs of virilisation and early referral to a paediatric endocrinologist should be considered if these are identified. Treatment regimens should be adopted such that they target the underlying pathophysiology of acne as well as the presenting clinical lesions. Antibiotics should be used judiciously to avoid the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria as this can impact on treatment response and may also contribute to resistance in commensal bacteria beyond the skin.