Profile of Dermatological Consultations in Brazil (2018)
November 2018
in “
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia
”
Studysummary This study highlighted the importance of aesthetic and common dermatological conditions such as acne and nonmelanoma skin cancer in Brazil, with varying patterns based on demographic and funding factors. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
In 2018, the Brazilian Society of Dermatology conducted a study involving 9,629 dermatological consultations to understand the profile of skin conditions in Brazil. The most common diagnoses were acne (8.0%), photoaging (7.7%), nonmelanoma skin cancer (5.4%), and actinic keratosis (4.7%). The study revealed variations in disease prevalence based on gender, skin color, geographic region, funding type, and age. For example, acne was most prevalent among those aged 13 to 24, while nonmelanoma skin cancer was more common in patients over 60. Treatments frequently prescribed included topical medications (51.1%), sunscreen (44.0%), and moisturizers (31.2%). The study also noted that leprosy was more common in males, non-white individuals, and public healthcare patients, while psoriasis was more frequent in the south and among males. Cosmetic procedures were more common in private consultations, and the study emphasized the importance of preventive measures, as seen by the high prescription rate of sunscreen. However, the study's limitations included its nonrandomized design and the short duration of the sample period.
