Pattern of Dermatoses among Adolescents Attending a Tertiary Care Center: A Cross-sectional Study from Southern India

Introduction: Adolescence is defined by the World Health Organization as the age range between 10 and 19 years. It is one of the psychologically most vulnerable times in life, and the presence of dermatological conditions will significantly affect adolescents. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the clinical pattern and prevalence of different dermatoses among adolescents visiting the dermatology outpatient department at a tertiary care institution in South India. Materials and Methods: Patients aged 10–19 years with skin disorders visiting the dermatology department were included in this study. A predesigned proforma was used for all the cases. Following the acquisition of informed written consent, a thorough history was taken, and a complete clinical examination was done. Relevant laboratory investigations were done in doubtful cases. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics. Results: In the current study, which comprised 1200 patients, late adolescents (17–19 years) showed a higher frequency of dermatoses (40.6%), and a slight male predominance was seen with a male:female ratio of 1.2:1. The most prevalent pattern of dermatoses observed was infections and infestations (521 cases; 43.5%), followed by sebaceous gland disorders (275 cases; 22.9%). Among infections and infestations, fungal infections were predominantly seen, followed by the parasitic infestations. Conclusion: The most frequent pattern of dermatoses seen in our study was infections and infestations, followed by sebaceous gland disorders. A thorough understanding of the pattern of dermatoses among adolescents will help bring about necessary changes in health education and disease control programs in the demographic area concerned.