Clinical considerations on the use of concomitant therapy in the treatment of acne

Acne is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide and requires prompt and effective management of both the physical and psychological sequelae that an individual may experience. The ultimate goal of treatment is to address as many of the pathogenic factors of acne as possible while minimizing side effects. Numerous therapeutic options are available; however, most current treatment options address only one or two of these factors. For this reason, combining single therapies has been the practice since the mid-1970s, beginning with the concomitant use of treatments such as topical vitamin A with systemic tetracyclines or topical benzoyl peroxide. As additional therapeutic options have emerged, dermatologists have also begun to utilize these treatments concomitantly based on their synergistic and multifactorial effects on the different pathogenic factors of acne. This review provides an update of recent advances and data regarding the concomitant use of various anti-acne agents.