Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (Jul 2025)
A Case-Control Study Exploring the Association Between Cosmetic Use and Acne Risk: Implications for Prevention and Clinical Practice
Abstract
Kitman Choi, Hsingmei Liu, Yingying Zhu, Zhuoyu Jiang, Sha Lu Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Sha Lu, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-020-81332199, Email [email protected]: Acne cosmetica refers to acne breakouts caused by cosmetics. Various factors within cosmetics can contribute to the occurrence of acne cosmetica. However, there is a lack of epidemiological surveys on the risk of acne caused by comedogenicity ingredients in cosmetics. This research seeks to examine the correlation between the cosmetics usage and the incidence of acne by focusing on three key factors: the kind of cosmetic exposure, the cosmetic exposure index, and the usage of cosmetic containing comedogenicity ingredients.Methods: We collected information from 151 participants in the case-control study who answered a self-administered questionnaire about cosmetics assessment. Participants were evaluated based on their cosmetic usage and exposure.Results: Our findings indicated that facial cleansers (P=0.04), foundation (P= 0.03), and powders (P= 0.01) were related with an increased risk of acne, with the impact ranking from greatest to least as facial cleansers > powders > foundation. When adjusting for variables such as age, occupation, parental history of acne, and the milk consumption, only the usage of powders remained a significant risk factor for acne [OR (95% CI): 3.47 (1.58– 7.59), P= 0.02]. Additionally, moisturizers were identified as independent risk factors for acne, with a higher usage dose correlating with an increased risk [OR (95% CI): 1.03 (1.01– 1.05), P= 0.03]. Furthermore, facial cleansers containing comedogenic ingredients were also discovered to be an independent risk factor for acne [OR (95% CI): 2.49 (1.23– 4.90), P= 0.01].Conclusion: Certain cosmetic products may elevate the risk of developing acne, with risk levels influenced by both the dosage of the products and their specific ingredients.Keywords: acne, acne cosmetica, cosmetics, case-control study, comedogenicity ingredients
