Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Author Spotlight: Development and Evaluation of a Compound Acne Rodent Model Using C. acnes and Oleic Acid
Published on: November 1, 2024
The Utility of Text Message Reminders for Acne Patients: A Pilot Study
Jean-Phillip Okhovat1,2, Francesca Tenconi3, Jenny Kim3
1Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. jokhovat@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Background:
Acne vulgaris is one of the three most common cutaneous disorders, affecting approximately 50 million people in the US and many more throughout the world.
Objective:
We designed a pilot program to explore how patients may interact with cell phone technology to supplement medical care beyond patient reminders that would encompass education, interaction, and data capturing.
Methods:
Twenty-four patients completed a 3-month study in which participants received daily text message reminders for the first 2 weeks of the study, then once weekly thereafter, to take their oral medication or apply topical therapy either once or twice daily.
Results:
Over a 3-month time period, patients become less responsive to text message reminders over time. Our survey data demonstrated a very high satisfaction with the program, helping patients follow their acne treatment recommendations (mean score 4.31 out of 5) and results demonstrated the mobile application device was easy to use (mean score 4.56 out of 5).
Limitations:
Small sample size of the patient population.
Conclusion:
Patients find this approach acceptable and helpful, and it is a viable method for counseling patients. Based on our results, for future randomized controlled studies, we suggest maximizing messaging during the first month of therapy.
