Mutilating Facial Acne Conglobata

Acne conglobata, a severe form of acne vulgaris, often produces pronounced disfigurement. We describe a 23-year-old man with acne conglobata. Although this type of acne is often more marked on the back rather than on the face, our patient was unusual in that it was localized mainly to the cheeks. Conventional medical therapy was ineffective or contraindicated. Radical surgical excision with subtotal removal of cheek skin and subcutaneous tissue was performed with an excellent result.