Acne is the most common disorder presented to dermatology practitioners. All too often a cookie cutter approach to treatment is taken resulting in suboptimal therapy, however each patient presents clinicians with unique challenges that must be recognized and overcome. Combination therapy utilizing multiple agents to affect as many of the pathogenic pillars of acne as possible results in the best outcomes. However, compliance is often reduced by numerous agents. Fixed combinations are often the answer to this conundrum. The CDC has called upon clinicians to be good stewards of antibiotics and non-antibiotic alternatives should be utilized whenever possible. Hormonal therapy and isotretinoin are good alternatives that are probably underutilized.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Learn about the newest available medications
- Recognize the importance of combination therapy
- Treat acne while being a good steward of antibiotics
- Understand the side effects of oral acne medications