A person's medical history gives a doctor important information for diagnosing acne. You may hear questions such as:

• Do other members of your family have skin problems? If so, what do they use to treat them, and does it work?
• When did you first notice your skin problem?
• Do you usually have whiteheads and blackheads or pimples?
• Are your pimples deep under the skin, and do they hurt?
• What causes your skin problem to get worse?
• Did you recently get certain chemicals, oils, or other substances on your skin? Did these substances cause your skin to break out?
• Have you recently used a new skin- or hair-care product or started a new medication, either prescribed by a doctor or bought without a prescription?
• Do you wear any straps, helmets, shoulder pads, or tight-fitting items for sports or other activities? Do you need to use equipment that rubs on areas of your body that are more likely to develop skin problems?
• What treatments have you used on your skin problem? Did they make your skin condition better or worse?
• Do you have any other physical problems, such as muscle or bone pain?
• Do you feel embarrassed or ashamed about how your skin looks? If so, does it prevent you from doing things you usually like to do?
• Are your menstrual periods regular?