Research Abstracts Print short, Web long

Editor’s kEy points • This qualitative study explores the psychological aspects of acne in a mostly general practice popula-tion in Australia. • The most prominent psychological effects of acne were self-consciousness, embarrassment, and prob-lems with self-esteem and self-image. Anxiety and depression, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), were much less prominent. • Effects were aggravated by taunts, others ’ scru-tiny, and the feeling of being on show. Effects were attenuated by support from friends and family, cam-ouflage with makeup, and a sense of control brought on by self-help measures