Acne therapy: clinical pearls

Several classes of medications successfully treat acne. Systemic and topical retinoids, systemic and topical antimicrobials, and systemic hormonal therapy are the major categories. Failure of therapy may result from drug interactions, antibiotic resistance, or coexisting conditions; therefore, a detailed history including these points should be used to decide which therapy is appropriate for each patient. Furthermore, one must consider the potential side effects of each treatment and make sure that (1) the benefits outweigh the risks of the treatment, (2) the side effects can be avoided by adding another agent, or (3) the side effects can be safely treated.