Acne Vulgaris and Rosacea

Acne vulgaris is the most common disorder seen in general dermatology practice, accounting for approximately 10% of visits each year. Both sexes and all ethnicities are affected, usually in the late preteenage or early teenage years. Both inflammatory and comedonal lesions of acne vulgaris characteristically involve the face, but truncal involvement is also relatively common. Multiple clinical presentations may be observed, with severity often progressing over time during adolescence. Severe forms of acne vulgaris can be especially disfiguring and debilitating, and are more likely to lead to permanent scarring. Therapeutic options are chosen primarily on the basis of clinical severity, with adjustments in treatment made on the basis of response or disease progression. Rosacea begins in adulthood, usually in the third decade of life or later. The disorder predominantly affects the central face in fair-skinned people, mostly those of northern European ancestry, although individuals of any race may be affected. Rosacea may present as one or more of a variety of clinical phenotypes (subtypes); it is a chronic disorder characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission. Fortunately,