Acne ICD-10-CM codes

L70.0 (acne vulgaris) is the correct code for ordinary comedonal, papulopustular or cystic acne and is far more specific than L70.9 (acne, unspecified). Reserve L70.9 for documentation that says only acne without a type. The other 4th characters cover distinct clinical entities: L70.1 acne conglobata, L70.4 infantile acne, L70.5 acne excoriee, and L70.8 for other named variants such as acne mechanica.

Rosacea is not acne in ICD-10-CM even when documented as acne rosacea: it is coded to category L71 (L71.9 unspecified, L71.0 perioral dermatitis, L71.1 rhinophyma). Acne keloidalis nuchae is a follicular disorder coded to L73.0. Residual acne scarring treated as its own problem is L90.5 (scar conditions and fibrosis of skin), reported in addition to, or instead of, the acne code depending on whether active acne is still present.

There is no laterality or severity axis in L70. Drug-induced acneiform eruptions from steroids or other medications are coded to L70.8 with an additional T36-T50 adverse effect code (5th or 6th character 5) to identify the drug.