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Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Development and Evaluation of a Compound Acne Rodent Model Using C. acnes and Oleic Acid
Published on: November 1, 2024
Acne Supplements Sold Online
Emily Burns1, Milbrey Parke1, Ariadna Perez-Sanchez2
1Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Introduction:
As no centralized database of acne supplements is available, we aimed to provide an overview of these products, with a focus on safety.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to document the number, formulation, contents, and marketing strategies utilized by acne supplements sold online.
Methods:
An online search was conducted between March and May 2020. Products were included in the study if they used the terms: "whitehead", "blackhead", or "acne". Data were extracted from the website, box, and Supplement Facts label.
Results:
49 products were identified, which contained 146 unique ingredients. These included vitamins, minerals, food extracts, botanical extracts, amino acids, animal products, and distinct microbial strains. Few (4.1%) products were tested by third parties.
Conclusions:
This survey of acne supplements available online raised concerns regarding lack of warning labels, teratogenicity, exceedingly large levels of vitamins and minerals, and lack of third-party testing. Given the limited regulation and oversight of dietary supplements, it is imperative that physicians educate patients on the potential risks of these products.
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