The Association between Cigarette Smoking and Acne Intensity

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory disease of pilosebaceous unit.
Different factors have been suggested to influence acne including diet, menstruation and
occupation. The role of some of these factors on acne intensity is confirmed. The affect of Cigarette
smoking on acne intensity has been suggested. In this research, we evaluated the association
between cigarette smoking and the acne intensity.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 278 smoker and 277non
smoker males referred to dermatology clinics of Semnan during 2006-2007. The dermatologists
interviewing the patients completed questionnaires based on clinical diagnosis and intensity of
acne. Data analysis was performed using t-test, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and Spearman
coefficient tests. P-value less than 0.05 were considered significant.
Results: Severe acne was observed in 16.6% of non-smokers and 22.7% of smokers. Distribution
of acne intensity in both groups was significant (P=0.023). Association between duration of
cigarette smoking and acne intensity was significant too (P<0.001). The association between
dosage of cigarette smoking and acne intensity was also significant (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Significant association between cigarette smoking and acne intensity showed that
smoking withdrawal is helpful for reducing the acne intensity.