Pierre Fabre Laboratories presents the first global study on the “epidemiology of acne”
19 March 2024
Published in February 2024 in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), this study reveals the prevalence of acne worldwide in a completely new light.
Castres, France – March 18, 2024. Pierre Fabre Laboratories has announced the publication of the first global study on the epidemiology of acne in the prestigious Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology1 (JAAD) in February 2024. This project, carried out as part of the ALL study, provides unparalleled insight into the prevalence of acne globally, highlighting significant variations by age, gender, geographic region and impacts on quality of life and stigmatization.
The ALL study collected the testimonials of more than 50,000 people, representative of the adult population of 20 countries, spread across five continents, or in other words, representing more than 50% of the world population.
This study represents a major breakthrough in deepening our understanding of the different etiological factors of acne. It opens the way to new prevention and treatment strategies for this chronic skin condition by taking into account the lifestyles and specificities of each population.
One in five people affected by acne worldwide
The global prevalence of acne is 20.5%. It is the highest in the group of adolescents/young adults (16/24 years old), reaching 28.3%, and also remains quite high in the group of adults aged 25 to 39 years old, at 19.3%.
Women more affected than men
Generally speaking, women (23.6%) are more affected by acne than men (17.5%).
Latin America and East Asian countries top the list of the most affected regions
Significant disparities were observed between geographic areas. The highest prevalence of acne was observed in Latin America (23.9%), East Asia2 (20.2%), Africa (18.5%) and the Middle East (16.1%), while the lowest prevalence was observed in Europe (9.7%) and Australia (10.8%).
This study provides an in-depth understanding and a new vision of the demographic factors influencing the epidemiology of acne worldwide. We can explain the high percentage of acne in Latin America and East Asian countries by genetic factors of course, but probably also cultural factors, primarily diet
Major impact on quality of life…
People suffering from acne experience fatigue (50%) and have difficulty sleeping (41%). Due to their skin condition, they are also more inclined to be more careful with their spending (44%) and have often had to give up the activities they love (27%) or change their plans (31%).
Regarding their sleeping difficulties, a communication presented to the EADV in October 2023 highlighted that itching was one of the main symptoms cited by people suffering from acne, behind burning or tingling sensations, and skin pain.
… and greater stigmatization
People with acne reported feeling excluded or rejected by others (31%), and having the feeling that people avoid touching them (27%) or coming close to them (26%).
A study entitled “Patients' testimonies, feelings, complaints and emotional experiences with dermatoses on open social media: The French infodemiologic patient's free speech study,” published in JEADV in January 2024, confirms significant stigmatization by presenting the difficulties expressed by patients with visible dermatoses on social networks. The self-image of people suffering from acne is the most affected among all skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo and rosacea), as acne is often linked to a psychological impact, because those affected constantly have pimples and have to manage breakouts.
Another study “on the prevalence and risk factors of selfie phobia in people suffering from facial, skin or hair conditions” also demonstrated that fear and the feeling of stigmatization in people suffering from acne can have a significant impact on physical health and mental well-being, as it often affects their social and professional lives.
About the ALL project, the largest international dermatology database
The ALL study, launched at the end of 2022, in collaboration with the company EMMA, aims to collect data on all skin types (ALL Skins), all skin diseases (ALL Dermatoses) and all phototypes (ALL Colors) in order to build the largest international private database. In total, 50,552 people, from the adult populations of 20 countries (representing more than 50% of the world population) spread across 5 continents, answered the 65 questions of the study.
More than one in three people suffer from a skin disease, and yet health and prevention policies do not consider dermatology a public health priority. The ALL study aims to provide a global overview of the prevalence of the main skin diseases and their consequences in order to generate awareness among all stakeholders. Patients with dermatological diseases must receive more support and it is essential to convince the public authorities to give greater importance to dermatoses in prevention programs. The main themes discussed are related to the prevalence and the impact of medical conditions, but also the behaviors, care pathways and needs of patients affected by one or more dermatoses such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and vitiligo.
The ALL database was built with a planned analysis of results from 2023-2027. The 3.3 million data items thus compiled will identify the information essential to a better understanding of patient experiences. This data is shared with Dermatology
experts and also with patient associations to help them bolster their advocacy for better recognition of skin diseases.
About Pierre Fabre Laboratories
Pierre Fabre Laboratories is a French pharmaceutical and dermo-cosmetics company with 4 decades of experience in the field of innovation, development, manufacturing and marketing in oncology. In 2022, the company invested nearly 80% of its R&D expenses in oncology, focusing its efforts on targeted therapies. Its portfolio of marketed oncology products includes treatments for colorectal, breast, and lung cancer; melanoma; certain hematological malignancies; and actinic keratosis.
In 2022, Pierre Fabre Laboratories recorded 2.7 billion euros in revenues, 69% of which was generated internationally in 120 countries. Based in Castres in the Occitanie region since its creation, it manufactures 90% of its products in France and employs nearly 10,000 employees worldwide. 86% of the company is held by the Pierre Fabre Foundation, a government-recognized public-interest foundation since 1999, and by its employees via an employee stock ownership plan.
In 2022, the independent certification body AFNOR Certification assessed Pierre Fabre Laboratories’ CSR approach as being “Exemplary” in its “Committed to CSR” certification (ISO 26000 standard on sustainable development).
For more information about Pierre Fabre Laboratories: www.pierre-fabre.com, @PierreFabre.
References:
- https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(24)00002-1/pdf
- East Asia: China, South Korea, Japan.
Press contact
Anne Kerveillant
anne.kerveillant@pierre-fabre.com
+33 (6) 20 88 54 57