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James W. Wilkins, Jr., MD; John J. Voorhees, MD

Arch Dermatol. 1970;102(6):631-634.

Abstract
The possibility of racial variation in the prevalence of acne was investigated in white and Negro male prisoners aged 15 to 21. Five percent of 893 white inmates, compared with 0.5% of 753 Negro inmates, had nodulocystic (grade 3 and 4) acne, demonstrating a significantly increased prevalence in whites. The white inmates more frequently had grade 4 cystic lesions, but the anatomic distribution (face, back, chest, and neck) of aH acne lesions was similar in inmates of either race with nodulocystic acne. Racial variation in the prevalence of acne and the concordance of acne in identical twins support clinical observations that acne may have a genetic component. Acne may be another polygenic disease, dependent upon multiple gene products, with whites having an increased frequency of acne-producing alleles in their gene pool.

Author Affiliations
Ann Arbor, Mich

From the Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Dr. Voorhees is a Carl Herzog Fellow of the American Dermatological Association.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 30, 1970.

Reprint requests to Department of Dermatology, R6558 Kresge Medical Bldg, University of Michigan School, Ann Arbor, Mich 48104 (Dr. Voorhees).

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