Royal Tunbridge Wells Leads the Charge in Acne Awareness

A new search engine analysis by expert dermatologists at The Devonshire Clinic has revealed an 21.1% rise in searches for acne in the area.

In the year to October 2023 acne and 773 related keywords were searched an average of 3,890 times a month, but this rose to 4,710 in the year to October 2024.

Plymouth saw the second biggest rise, just behind, with 20.7%, followed by Blackpool with 19.5%.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Birmingham rounded out the top 5 with 18% and 16.3% respectively.

At the other end of the table, Cambridge saw the biggest drop at 19.3%

Exeter saw the second biggest loss with 15.4%, followed closely by Nottingham with a 15.3% reduction.

Carlisle and Canterbury rounded out the bottom 5 with 11.8% and 10.4% drops respectively.

When compared to the rest of the UK, England saw the biggest rise overall at 12.6%.

Dermatologist Dr Conal Perrett, from The Devonshire Clinic who conducted the research, had these top tips for treating acne:

“Gentle Cleansing Twice Daily: Wash your face with a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser in the morning and evening to remove excess oil, dirt, and bacteria without irritating your skin.

“Use Over-the-Counter Topical Treatments: Apply products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to help reduce inflammation, unclog pores, and fight acne-causing bacteria.

“Avoid Picking or Squeezing Pimples: Refrain from touching or picking at acne lesions to prevent scarring and further infection.”