The course of acne in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluation of possible risk factors

Background There are a limited number of publications reporting an increase in acne in the COVID-19 outbreak. Objective The study aimed to evaluate the course and the clinical features of acne and possible risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare workers. Method A total of 172 physicians (female, n = 159, male; n = 13, mean age = 35.03 +/- 5.27 years) who had acne in any period of their life were included in the study. A self-administered online questionnaire was applied. Results During the COVID-19 pandemic, 45.35% of the participants reported that their acne complaints increased, 27.33% reported relapses, and 7.56% reported occurrence for the first time. Newly formed acne was reported most frequently on the chin (78.26%). The number of female participants, smoking, increased stress, and the rate of surgical mask use were found to be higher in the group whose acne occurred for the first time, relapsed, or increased than in the group whose acne complaints were unchanged or decreased (p < 0.05). In the group whose acne relapsed or increased, adult-onset acne, presence of scar, and use of systemic acne treatment before the COVID-19 pandemic were more common than in the group whose acne complaints were unchanged or decreased (p < 0.05). Conclusion Almost half of the participants reported an increase in acne. More than a third of the participants reported that their acne relapsed or they had acne for the first time. In addition to the use of surgical masks, factors such as increased stress, smoking, adult-onset acne, presence of scar, and previous systemic acne treatment were found to be responsible for acne development.