GAGS (Global Acne Grading System)
The Global Acne Grading System (GAGS; Doshi and colleagues 1997).
Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.
Example
- Forehead
- 3
- Right cheek
- 3
- Left cheek
- 2
- Nose
- 1
- Chin
- 2
- Chest and upper back
- 1
Result: GAGS 22 of 44: moderate.
The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.
What the result means
- Grade
- The MOST SEVERE lesion in the region: 1 comedone, 2 papule, 3 pustule, 4 nodule. Never a sum of lesion types.
- Regions
- Forehead 2, each cheek 2, nose 1, chin 1, and chest with upper back 3 as ONE combined region.
- 0
- None.
- 1 to 18
- Mild.
- 19 to 30
- Moderate.
- 31 to 38
- Severe.
- Above 39
- Very severe. NOTE: the published table leaves exactly 39 in no band, and 39 is reachable.
- Scope
- Severity only. Does not diagnose acne, and misses scarring and psychological burden.
What you enter
- Forehead.
- Right cheek.
- Left cheek.
- Nose.
- Chin.
- Chest and upper back (ONE combined region, not two).
Full field descriptions
- Forehead. Regional factor 2. Grade by the MOST SEVERE lesion present, not by summing lesion types [0 = No lesions; 1 = At least one comedone; 2 = At least one papule; 3 = At least one pustule; 4 = At least one nodule]
- Right cheek. Regional factor 2. Grade by the MOST SEVERE lesion present, not by summing lesion types [0 = No lesions; 1 = At least one comedone; 2 = At least one papule; 3 = At least one pustule; 4 = At least one nodule]
- Left cheek. Regional factor 2. Grade by the MOST SEVERE lesion present, not by summing lesion types [0 = No lesions; 1 = At least one comedone; 2 = At least one papule; 3 = At least one pustule; 4 = At least one nodule]
- Nose. Regional factor 1. Grade by the MOST SEVERE lesion present, not by summing lesion types [0 = No lesions; 1 = At least one comedone; 2 = At least one papule; 3 = At least one pustule; 4 = At least one nodule]
- Chin. Regional factor 1. Grade by the MOST SEVERE lesion present, not by summing lesion types [0 = No lesions; 1 = At least one comedone; 2 = At least one papule; 3 = At least one pustule; 4 = At least one nodule]
- Chest and upper back (ONE combined region, not two). Regional factor 3. Grade by the MOST SEVERE lesion present, not by summing lesion types [0 = No lesions; 1 = At least one comedone; 2 = At least one papule; 3 = At least one pustule; 4 = At least one nodule]
How this is calculated
- Method
- Six regions, each factor times grade 0-4, summed. Factors total 11, so the score runs 0 to 44.
Doshi A, Zaheer A, Stiller MJ. A comparison of current acne grading systems and proposal of a novel system. Int J Dermatol. 1997;36(6):416-418. Read the source ↗
A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.