| Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease of sebaceous follicles, and located primarily on the face, back, and chest, where there are more sebaceous glands. The clinical features of acne are the lesions of comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. And its episode is recurrent. Many factors relate with the onset of acne, which are endocrine disturbance (esp. androgen secretion), follicular keratinization, infection, immunity, as well as inflammation. Acne is common in clinic, and most often develops at puberty.There are two parts in this essay: clinical review and epidemic research.Two articles of the clinical review: the first one is about the records of this disease by ancient traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) documents, the recognitions of the etiology and pathogenesis of this disease and the characteristics of prescribing herbs to treat acne by contemporary famous TCM doctors, and TCM clinical trials in recent 10 years.The second one is about the new epidemic investigation about acne in abroad, the research of acne's pathophysiology and treatment in recent 10 years, and the influence of psychological factor in the onset and aggravation of this disease.Epidemic research: Investigation has been carried out on total number of 200 inhabitants, in order to find the epidemic features of TCM syndromes and other factors. Results: Acne is mostly seen in 14 to 25 years old young men, the late onset patients who are older than 25 are mainly female. Most patients can be divided into light or moderate types, and the most common locations attacked are cheek, forehead, and perioral areas. The severity of acne related with the onset ages, gender, and skin type, the one who are younger onset, male, or sebaceous skin often suffer more severely. 63% patients had scar, the one who are with cheek lesions, male, family history, or can be classified to severity type are prone to have scar left. The one whose onset associates with seasons deteriorated mainly in summer. 52% patients have the habit of using cosmetics, and the one who use make-ups frequently have a higher rate of getting moderate to severe type than who haven't. There is a very obviously relationship between the severity and menoxenia in female, and 75.9﹪women'acne deteriorated ante menstruationem. Fathers contribute more than mothers with the onset of acne, and the one who have acne family history suffered younger than who didn't have. 70.5% patients have received medical treatments in the recent one year, which are mostly the combination of internal and external medicine. Females and the one with severe acne are much more willing to accept treatment than others. Most patients have been treated longer than one month, and 67.6% patients dissatisfy with former treatments. 88﹪of the patients'life or work have been influenced by acne. The syndromes of the heat stagnation of lung and stomach and the retention of dampness and heat are the most common in clinic, while the syndrome of phlegm-dampness stagnation only accounts 5.5﹪in past documents, which shows that the TCM syndrome differentiation of acne has changed with the society development. The syndrome of stagnation of liver-qi and spleen deficiency stands for a quarter in female patients, in which the spirit tension plays a great part. |
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