Acne: acne fulminans

LAST UPDATED: Jul 08, 2021

Introduction

Acne fulminans is a very uncommon form of acne with severe cutaneous features and systemic upset.

This chapter is set out as follows:

History
Clinical findings
Images
Management

History

It typically presents in mid-teenage boys who may have had, for a few years, mild acne which, over a matter of a few weeks changes into severe inflammatory acne, especially on the trunk

It is associated with systemic symptoms such as a fever, arthritis and lethargy

Clinical findings

Severe inflammatory acne on the trunk

Clinical Images

Please refer to notes on image rights at bottom of the page with regards to individual image ownership.

Management

Refer urgently - a delay in treatment results in severe scarring

First-line treatment is usually oral steroids, followed by the introduction of low dose oral isotretinoin, hospitalisation may be required

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Image Rights - The PCDS would like to thank Dermatoweb, DermQuest (Galderma), and others who have contributed images. All named individuals and organisations maintain copyright for the relevant images.