Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of acne among college students, and provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted prevention and control measures. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 123 current college students of a university in Shenzhen from May 2024 to January 2025 by stratified random sampling method, and data were collected through standardized questionnaires. Univariate analysis was performed on variables such as gender, grade, living habits, skin characteristics and family history, and variables with statistical significance in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate Logistic regression model to construct a prediction model for acne occurrence and evaluate risk factors. Results The prevalence of acne was 67.48% (83/123). Univariate analysis showed that environmental perception (air quality evaluation), skin physiological characteristics (oily skin), facial cleansing frequency, skin care product application frequency, family history of acne and psychological stress level were associated with acne occurrence (P <0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that skin type (oily), skin care product application frequency (regular daily application of cleansing products), parental acne history (positive) and stress level (high and very high) were risk factors for acne occurrence (P <0.05). Conclusion The high prevalence of acne among college youth requires attention. Its occurrence is closely related to genetic susceptibility (family history of acne) and skin physiological characteristics (oily skin), and daily care behaviors such as standardized use of cleansing products have positive significance for disease prevention.