Seasonal Variation in Acne Vulgaris—Myth or Reality

Abstract

A traditional opinion proposed by Western dermatologists is that acne improves in summer and worsens in winter. We studied 452 patiens with acne vulgaris and asked them about seasonal variation in their acne. A total of 229 patients (50.67%) complained of a seasonal variation; a significant proportion (56.33%) noticed an aggravation in summer, while 16.16% improved in summer and only 11.35% worsened in winter. Apparently winters did not affect the severity of acne in a majority of patients (64.20%). Significantly, a majority (80.62%) of patients noticed a summer aggravation due to sweating and increased humidity. Thus our study is at variance with the existing literature, with summer aggravation being the predominant complaint. We would like to propose that the increased temperature, marked humidity, and sweating might explain the results seen in our region.

Risk factor assessment for acne vulgaris in human and implications for public health interventions in north central India: A survey based study

“…Therefore, sun-bath sustains the restoration of inflammatory lesions by increasing blood circulation [54,55]. Apart from all, the study regarding seasonal variation, result of our study is against the conventional beliefs, supported by Indian survey reports that acne intensifies during summer ( Fig.…”

Profile of acne vulgaris-A hospital-based study from South India

“…[5] An Indian study showed that majority of patients with acne vulgaris worsened during summer. [36] In our study, seasonal variation was observed only in 80 patients (25.9%); 71 patients (23%) exacerbated in summer and 9 (2.9%) in winter. This observation was against the conventional view that acne vulgaris exacerbates in winter and improves in summer.…”

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards acne vulgaris among acne patients

“…18 It is possible that UV radiation, which may cause inflammation and generate squalene peroxides which are highly comedogenic, may play a role in the persistence of acne in tropical countries, in addition to sweating and increased humidity. 19 Pregnancy is also known to aggravate acne lesions. Steroids have been implicated in causation of acne by inducing hypercornification of the upper portion of pilosebaceous unit.…”