The association between stress and acne among female medical students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

IntroductionAlthough there is widespread acceptance of a relationship between stress and acne, not many studies have been performed to assess this relationship. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between stress and acne severity.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 144 6th year female medical students 22 to 24 years in age attending the medical faculty at King Abdulaziz University. This study used the global acne grading system (GAGS) to assess acne severity in relation to stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The questionnaire also included some confounding factors involved in acne severity.ResultsThe results indicated an increase in stress severity strongly correlated with an increase in acne severity, which was statistically significant (p<0.01). Subjects with higher stress scores, determined using the PSS, had higher acne severity when examined and graded using the GAGS.ConclusionOn the basis of this study, it is concluded that stress positively correlates with acne severity.

Cross-sectional study of perceived stress, self-esteem, body image disturbance and suicidal ideation in patients of acne vulgaris

“…CRH also stimulates steroidogenesis and sebaceous gland lipid production leading to acne. 13,30 72.22% of the patients had low self-esteem, mirroring the findings of Vilar et al 27 Appearance of patients having chronic recurring skin conditions like acne lies outside their control and can impact their interpersonal relationships resulting in a low-self-esteem. 19 Almost three in every four patients (72.22%) had high body image disturbance.…”

Medicine and Horsemanship: The Effects of Equine-assisted Activities and Therapies on Stress and Depression in Medical Students

“…Scores are reverse coded for four questions and summed for a total score ranging from 0-40, with high scores indicating higher perceived stress. The reliability of the PSS ranges from Cronbach α of 0.85 to 0.91 with a test-retest reliability of 0.85 [27][28][29].…”

Exploring the relationship between stress and acne: a medical student&rsquo;s perspective

“…We read with great interest the paper by Zari and Alrahmani 1 investigating the relationship between stress and acne among female medical students. These findings are relevant as around 20% of young people are affected by moderate-to-severe acne, and indeed acne severity is associated with increased risks of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.…”

“… 2 The authors identified that “stress severity strongly correlated with an increase in acne severity,” and suggested that stress likely has an important role in the pathogenesis of acne. 1 However, the paper could have been taken further to better establish the true extent of this relationship, and ultimately whether certain patients will benefit from clinical interventions based on their perceived stress scale.…”

“… 5 To help address this issue, we recommend measuring student stress and acne levels at different times during the medical course and comparing values relative to each individual. The paper by Zari and Alrahmani 1 does not necessarily recognize this limitation, and so perhaps in addition to the research conducted, this would be useful.…”