Am Fam Physician. 2025;112(5):574-576
Author disclosure: Michelle Nelson, MD, disclosed stock ownership in Eli Lilly. This relevant financial relationship was mitigated when she sold her shares in May 2024, before her work on this content began.
KEY POINTS FOR PRACTICE
• Topical benzoyl peroxide or a retinoid, alone or in combination with a topical antibiotic, is effective treatment.
• For moderate to severe acne, oral doxycycline is recommended. Systemic antibiotics should not be used as monotherapy and should be combined with topical benzoyl peroxide and other topical drugs.
• Oral isotretinoin is strongly recommended for severe, scarring, or refractory acne or failure of other treatment.
• Intralesional corticosteroid injections should be considered for larger acne lesions, rapid resolution, or to minimize scarring.
From the AFP Editors
Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory condition of pilosebaceous units of the skin affecting more than 50 million people in the United States, including 85% of adolescents. Risk factors include adolescent age, family history of acne, and oily skin type. The American Academy of Dermatology released updated guidelines for the management of acne.
EVALUATION
The Investigator Global Assessment system is the most used acne grading scale. Scoring depends on lesion type, count, and skin involvement.
MANAGEMENT
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