Drug treatment of acne

Acne is a common skin disorder not just confined to adolescence. For patients with mild to moderate acne who have not responded to over-the-counter products, prescribing topical antibiotics and/or retinoids may be considered. For patients with moderate to severe acne, oral antibiotics or the contrac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAustralian prescriber Vol. 35; no. 6; pp. 180 - 182
Main Author See, Jo-Ann
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Melbourne Therapeutic Guidelines Limited 01.12.2012
Subjects
Acids
Acne
Antibiotics
Cysts
Dermatology
Drug dosages
Drug resistance
Laboratories
Patients
Pregnancy
Skin
Womens health
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Summary:Acne is a common skin disorder not just confined to adolescence. For patients with mild to moderate acne who have not responded to over-the-counter products, prescribing topical antibiotics and/or retinoids may be considered. For patients with moderate to severe acne, oral antibiotics or the contraceptive pill can be combined with topical benzoyl peroxide or a topical retinoid. For patients who present with severe acne nodules and cysts, or who have not responded to 12 weeks of oral antibiotics, referral to a dermatologist for oral isotretinoin is recommended. Once acne has cleared, 3–12 months or longer with a topical retinoid may help to prevent recurrence.
ISSN:0312-8008
1839-3942
DOI:10.18773/austprescr.2012.083