Out of 98 female referrals with acne vulgaris it was possible to define ovarian morphology by high resolution ultrasound imaging of the pelvis in 82 (84%). Sixty-eight (83%) were shown to have polycystic ovaries, compared with 19% in a control group without acne. The presence of polycystic ovaries in the acne patients did not correlate with acne severity, infertility, menstrual disturbance, hirsutes, or biochemical endocrinological abnormalities.