ABSTRACT

To determine the prevalence rate and types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among patients diagnosed with acne vulgaris (AV) or melasma, and to identify the factors influencing the use of CAM.

This study included 73 patients who attended dermatology outpatient clinic in Alanya Başkent University and diagnosed with AV or melasma. Each patient was asked to answer a questionnaire consisting of sociodemografic information and negative impact of their disease on their psychological and physical health status and work/friendship relations, their history of using CAM methods.

Of the study patients, 54 were diagnosed with AV and 19 with melasma. The proportion of CAM use was 52,1%in total; 57.4 %of AV and 36,8%of melasma patients had used CAM. Females with regard to the males, those having problems in work/friendship relations with regard to those who have not, were using CAM in high proportion. All CAM users have applied phytotherapy, and 63,2 %of the patients have learned these methods from family members and/or friends.

Our results show that CAM use is common in patients with AV and melasma. Since the CAM methods have the potential of influencing the outcomes of the disease by interacting with the medical treatment modalities, dermatologists should enquire about CAM use as it may by. (Turk J Dermatol 2010; 4: 14-7)