Richard Gallo, MD, PhD: Updates on Understanding the Pathophysiology of Acne

At the 2024 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, Richard Gallo, MD, PhD, FAAD, presented his most important acne updates during the highly anticipated morning acne and rosacea track.

“One of the big things for our membership to realize is that a tremendous amount of new research has been done that has completely revised the way we think about acne itself. There are some prior misconceptions that acne was more like an infectious disease where there was an overgrowth of bacteria of C. acnes, and that treatment of acne should be primarily directed at trying to kill off this overgrowth of C. acnes. We know that to be wrong. We know there are specific different types of strains of C. acnes that drive disease. We know there are other aspects of the immune system that influence disease,” said Gallo, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at the University of California San Diego, in an interview with Dermatology Times.

Gallo presented alongside Hilary E Baldwin, MD, FAAD; Julie Claire Harper, MD, FAAD; Linda F. Stein Gold, MD, FAAD; James Q. Del Rosso, DO, FAAD; Christopher Bunick, PhD, MD, FAAD; Heather Clare Woolery-Lloyd, MD, FAAD; Lawrence F Eichenfield, MD, FAAD; Emil A. Tanghetti, MD, FAAD; and David M Ozog, MD, FAAD.

Transcript

Richard Gallo, MD, PhD, FAAD: Hi, my name is Richard Gallo. I'm a professor and chair of the department of dermatology at the University of California San Diego.

Dermatology Times: What are some of the key highlights from your session at AAD, "Updates on Acne Research?"

Gallo: At the session on the updates in acne research, I presented some of the newest information on understanding the pathophysiology of acne. One of the big things for our membership to realize is that a tremendous amount of new research has been done that has completely revised the way we think about acne itself. There are some prior misconceptions that acne was more like an infectious disease where there was an overgrowth of bacteria of C. acnes. And that treatment of acne should be primarily directed at trying to kill off this overgrowth of C. acnes. We know that to be wrong. We know there are specific different types of strains of C. acnes that drive disease. We know there are other aspects of the immune system that influence disease. And we know that acne can also be influenced by systemic issues. Clinicians are very well aware of the endocrinologic associations with acne. But we're also seeing better and better proof of other genetic issues in patients as well as dietary and other environmental issues that cause disease.

Dermatology Times: What advice do you have about navigating AAD for dermatologists who may not have attended before?

Gallo: The AAD is a wonderful opportunity both to learn and to hear from the world's experts in skin disease, as well as for fellowship and for meeting face to face with your colleagues, those individuals that are key opinion leaders in particular aspects of dermatology, as well as just having fun because this is a great group of people to interact with.

Dermatology Times: What do you look forward to most at AAD?

Gallo: I love to hear about, you know, new therapeutic options and new advances and understanding the cause of disease. But maybe a little bit more than that, I like meeting old friends and having people from around the world and around the country of course get together and be able to interact one-on-one and not solely be by Zoom and video interviews.

[Transcript lightly edited for space and clarity.]