[Fulminant acne]

We describe a case of a 16-year old boy, who presented with sudden onset of an extreme pustular reaction in seborrhoeic areas of the skin with accompanying general malaise such as fever and arthralgia. This picture is one of fulminant acne, which is a rare disease, for which reason diagnosis may be delayed. Permanent scarring of the skin is inevitable, but scarring may be reduced if early treatment with 13 cis-retinoid is started.