Exploring Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use for the Management of Acne Vulgaris Among University Students: Forms, Trends, and Information Sources

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease that has physical and psychological impacts. Patients diagnosed with acne often use complementary and alternative medicine, despite the insufficient evidence. Aims: This cross-sectional study sought to identify the types, trends in and reasons for utilizing complementary and alternative medicine for acne among university students. Patients/methods: The study was conducted among health sciences students from March to June, 2023, using clinical examination and a questionnaire. All participants were assessed for a diagnosis of acne. Results: The final sample size consisted of 367 participants, of whom 68.9% were females and 31.1% were males. The study revealed a high prevalence of acne (74.4%). Among those with acne, 59.7% reported using complementary and alternative medicine, with the biological forms being most frequent at 90.2%. The reasons commonly stated for using complementary and alternative medicine were lack of severity (48.5%) and the potential for internet-based self-treatment (33.1%). The main sources of information were the internet (44.8%) and social media (41.1%). Age, gender, and the occurrence of acne on the chin were associated with complementary and alternative medicine use (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The use of complementary and alternative medicine for treating acne is widespread, with a tendency toward biological forms. Healthcare practitioners should be familiar with the patterns of complementary and alternative medicine use for the treatment of acne to better meet patient needs and concerns. Policymaking can leverage the role of online resources in addressing the use of unconventional treatment modalities.