Acne and Tobacco Claims Go Up in Smoke

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Smoking decreases likelihood of developing acne vulgaris, contrary to past belief and research findings. According to a recent article in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, acne probability is linked to several factors—some that go beyond accepted findings.

Individuals 15–24 years old with self-reported acne from Belgium, Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Italy, Poland and Spain were included in the cross-sectional online survey. From the survey responses, researchers found that heredity is the most likely indicator of acne.

Overall, the study found that the following contributed to an increased prevalence of acne:

While the following decreased likelihood of acne:

  • Increased age (OR 0.705 for individuals age 21–24, compared to 15–17 years old)
  • Smoking tobacco (OR 0.705)
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