Acne vulgaris is an extremely common chronic disease of the pilosebaceous unit. Despite its ubiquity, acne in the childhood years of approximately ages 1-6 years is exceedingly rare. Physicians should be suspicious of underlying systemic disease processes in patients of this age who present with onset of acne lesions, as pre-pubertal acne in childhood has a distinctly different pathology than that of other age groups. Through a case series, we highlight the importance of a thorough work-up and provide a review on when to refer to pediatric endocrinology to rule out precocious puberty and tumors as the cause of pre-pubertal acne.
Keywords: acne vulgaris; bone and bones; child; child, preschool; precocious; puberty.
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