title: Women and acne: any difference from males? A review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The attention to the impact of gender differences in acne is needed and, at the moment, lacking. The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review on gender differences in acne.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the literature was performed using the PubMed and Ovid literature search engines , using a variety of combined search terms including "acne", "gender", "sex", "females", "males". The search extended until July 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender differences in acne highlight hormonal interactions as a major target for which more research is needed to translate current findings to clinically significant diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In addition, female patients are more likely to develop anxiety and depression due to their condition, and acne improvement positively influences quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patient's sex should not radically alter diagnostic or therapeutic efforts, although gender differences could be necessary to set up clinical management, monitoring also the psychological aspect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology "Daniele Innocenzi" La Sapienza University of Rome Polo Pontino, Rome, Italy - nevena.skroza@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Nevena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Skroza
authors.forename: Ersilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tolino
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bernardini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Viola
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicolucci
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pampena
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zuber
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balduzzi
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soccodato
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Potenza
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors