Acne

Acne research delineating molecular and cellular pathogenic pathways gives insight into new therapeutic targets. According to a recent review, biologics and other therapies that modulate scar formation and wound healing will have value for treating severe acne.

Topicals and oral antibiotics, as well as research on the skin microbiome, are paving the way for the future of acne treatment, according to a recent presentation at the 2020 ODAC Pre-Conference Inflammatory Diseases Symposium.

A recent paper suggests younger children with acne vulgaris should be treated the same as adolescents. This includes utilizing combination therapies that may consist of topic retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and other nonantibiotic agents in combination with antibiotics.

Patients with acne should be screened for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, according to researchers of a recent study investigating vitamin D's link to acne.

Quality of life could play role in assessing acne patient care. According to recent study’s results, researchers saw a four-to-five-fold QOL improvement versus baseline over a full treatment course of isotretinoin.

Perceptions of antibiotics and potential antibiotic resistance have caused some physicians to be wary of the drug class when prescribing an acne treatment regimen. However, narrow-spectrum antibiotics have shown a low propensity for development of antimicrobial resistance while also effectively treating acne.

The topical cream is the first acne drug with a new mechanism of action to win FDA approval in the last 40 years.

Spironolactone demonstrated notable safety and tolerability in females aged <21 years with refractory acne, according to a recent study from the Mayo Clinic.

Allison Truong, M.D., FAAD, provides some useful tips to help health care professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic combat mask irritation and acne.

With the rise in face mask usage, multiple types of masks have entered the market made of a variety of materials. Some, however, can lead to more skin irritation than others. Allison Truong, M.D., FAAD, provides some suggestions for the best type of mask to use and how to reduce skin irritation.

According to a recent review, supplements such as B6/B12, high-dose vitamins and whey protein have been linked to acne development. Study authors suggest physicians ask acne patients about their supplement use and educate them on potential side effects.

In this video interview, Allison Truong, M.D., FAAD, explains various measures that can be taken to prevent maskne, including pinpointing the root cause of the irritation.

Allison Truong, M.D., FAAD, provides some tips on how to treat mask-related acne, or otherwise known as ’maskne.’

Allison Truong, M.D., FAAD, explains what 'maskne' is and the various types of acne that can occur when wearing a mask.

There is a dire need to improve the clinical tools dermatologists use to assess the severity of acne scars. This 3D imaging technique may help, according to a recent study presented at the 2020 virtual American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) meeting.

A retrospective review of patients seen in an academic dermatology clinic over a one-year period identified 20 individuals with nasal papules in association with acne, which are thought to represent scarring sequelae. The condition is underrecognized, researchers say and requires further research to better understand.

Hidradenitis suppurativa has come to be associated with systemic inflammation as well as a growing list of comorbidities including acne conglobate.

"Clean" skincare has become a popular trend. A preference for products without certain ingredients is fine if the products make patients feel better without making their skin worse, one expert says.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals announces the launch of their bioequivalent and therapeutically equivalent product to Differin Gel 0.3% (Galderma), Adapalene Gel USP 0.3%, a topical retinoid for the treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years and older.

Clascoterone cream 1% (Winlevi, Cassiopea), a first-in-class androgen receptor inhibitor, has been approved by the U.S. FDA for treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 12 years and older.

Will the current practice of using telemedicine for acne care have an impact on the future of dermatology? We spoke with Julie Harper, M.D., owner and president of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center of Birmingham in Alabama, on the topic.

Virtual visits may allow providers to focus more on patient education, says Julie Harper, M.D., owner and president of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center of Birmingham in Alabama.

Combination therapies that integrate older therapies have shown great promise in the treatment and management of keloids.

Julie Harper, M.D., owner and president of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center of Birmingham in Alabama, discusses how she approaches treating acne via virtual visits after incorporating telemedicine into her practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smartphones may provide another tool for physicians to assess acne severity in patients with darker skin types, a study shows.

Is telemedicine a useful tool to treat acne during the COVID-19 pandemic? Julie Harper, M.D., owner and president of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center of Birmingham in Alabama, shares her insights.

Julie Harper, M.D., owner and president of the Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center of Birmingham in Alabama, emphasizes the importance of ensuring timely treatment of acne patients during the COVID-19 crisis.

The implementation of artificial intelligence technology in the long-term management and follow-up of acne patients may help to improve patient treatment outcomes.

While recognizing that a patient’s mental health generally improves with isotretinoin use due to improvement in acne symptoms, clinicians may consider screening for insomnia during the course of treatment, as it may be an indicator for vulnerability to side effects, researchers say.

Many current acne clinical trials do not consider those patients already on hormone therapy, which researchers say may affect therapeutic outcomes. Authors of a recent study encourage this reporting in future studies to help clinicians better assess how the data might represent a practice population.