Acne

A better understanding of the delicate balance the bacterial microbiome plays in disease may lead to new therapeutic options.

Ask your patients about their use of alternative/complementary therapies, which are often helpful but can cause or worsen skin problems.

Different types of acne scars may require combinations of treatments and multiple sessions.

Conventional acne treatment guidelines focus on acne severity. But there’s much more to effectively treating individual acne patients, according to an expert panel of 13 Canadian dermatologists, who developed a case-centered multifactorial consensus on acne management. Learn more

Dermatology Times editorial advisor Dr. Elaine Siegfried talks with Jim Leyden, M.D., emeritus professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania about the art and science of isotretinoin therapy. Dr. Leyden, aside from being a member of the famed Acne Mafia, was a really active participant in the drug development process for isotretinoin, a drug for which, the institutional memory about that process may be fading. The two discuss many of the important initial clinical observations and those that others have made over the years.

Uncover the ways in which psychological problems may be impacting the skin, or vice versa. Learn more.

Studies are available that show promising application of tea tree oil for various dermatologic infections such as bacterial and fungal conditions and molluscum as well as inflammatory conditions such as acne

Teledermatology eases disease management for young acne patients.

“The increased strength of adapalene (a retinoid) is a valuable ingredient to explore in view of the growing incidence of drug resistance and the fact that it apparently worked in moderate to severe acne patients is a very good sign," says an expert. Learn more.

New and evolving therapies targeting inflammation could therefore be tried to help quell the symptoms of these diseases and conditions. learn more.

These are Dr. H.L. Greenberg’s top tips for treating (and preventing) acne.

Many dermatologists may have wondered, however, why patients who use noncomedogenic products still develop acne.

Probiotics, which are helpful bacteria that protect the body from harmful bacteria, are literally everywhere. In light of increasing antibiotic resistance due to over- and misuse, coupled with patients’ preferences for more holistic, natural approaches to healing, are we entering an era of anti-antibiotics and pro-probiotics?

A doctor who prescribed oral retinoids to an acne patient is sued by the patient's family after the patient commits suicide. The doctor's career, practice, reputation and everything he holds dear are at risk simply because he tried to be a good doctor. Should he try to defend himself? Will he lose the case at trial?

It is sometimes challenging to pick a facial cleanser for acne patients because skin irritation and dryness can be magnified by improper cleansing techniques.

The pathogenesis of acne is not entirely understood, but new insights may yield new therapeutic targets in the near future. As research into the pathogenesis of acne continues, the spectrum of available therapies will continue to expand.

Skin of color patients exhibit clinical and therapeutic nuances that affect acne management. Dermatologists should understand how these patients present, clinically; how to treat them safely; cultural factors; and their specific desired treatment endpoints.

Selectively heating sebaceous follicles with topically-delivered light-absorbing gold microparticles is a safe and effective treatment for acne.

An exploration of the feasibility of using laser technology to detect changes in microvasculature during the acne lesion healing progress and to introduce a microvasculature-based biomarker in evaluating the treatment and grading of acne.

A new study suggests that 27% of acne patients don’t get all or even, perhaps, any of their doctor-recommended acne medications. These patients are more likely to get their medications when only one treatment is prescribed.

When the tried-and-true mainstream acne treatments fail, it helps to use newer or lesser-known options.

Analysis yields significant association between acne and psychiatric disorders.

In addition to being one of the most prevalent and all-too-familiar skin conditions, acne is also one of the most common skin diseases for which patients have begun to seek alternative treatment therapies. learn more.

There is increasing interest in so-called alternative medicine. Both patients and practitioners are clearly interested in this domain and this is in striking contrast to the bright, shining edifice of evidence-based medicine.

Dermatologists at the Maui Derm 2015 meeting learned that they should be on the lookout for patients with acne, especially women. And, they should be cautious about antibiotic use in young patients.