CKS is no longer commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE remains committed to providing a replacement service for CKS and is currently reviewing its options. In the meantime, although CKS content is now not being maintained, it still remains relevant and will continue to be made available. CKS content was generated under a programme of topic creation and update. To check if the topic you are viewing is current or out of date, please refer to the topic publication details by clicking on the 'How up-to-date is this topic?' link in the left hand menu on individual topic pages.
Acne vulgaris - Management
Basis for recommendation
These recommendations are based on expert opinion from international guidelines [ICSI, 2006; Strauss et al, 2007] and narrative reviews [Webster, 2002; Wolf, 2002; James, 2005; Ravenscroft, 2005; Acne Working Group, 2008].
Categorizing acne severity
- There is no universal grading system for the classification of acne severity [Strauss et al, 2007]. Grading systems have largely been developed for use in clinical trials and rely on lesion counts, but these are generally not suitable for clinical practice [Webster, 2002]. However, there is general consensus from experts that it is useful to categorize acne into three severity grades in order to guide management of the condition.
Psychosocial impact of acne
- During assessment, it is important to recognize the psychosocial impact of acne. It can have a severe negative impact on the person's life. Although often the person tends to overestimate the severity of their acne, the healthcare professional tends to underestimate it. Estimating the physical severity of acne alone is insufficient to guide management, as it may be appropriate to treat acne associated with a greater psychosocial impact more aggressively, or refer the person [Acne Working Group, 2008].
© NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement