Pharmaceutical care for patients with acne

Pharmaceutical care for patients with acne Acne is a multifactorial inflammatory skin disease affecting mostly adolescents, but it can persist into adulthood. The aim of treatment is to improve the patient's dermatological condition and improve the overall quality of life. Pharmacists play a very important role in the care of acne patients and this article reviews opportunities for pharmaceutical care of such patients. Pharmacists can identify patients with different forms of acne, engage in acne prevention including lifestyle modifications, and contribute to optimizing the choice and use of appropriate pharmacotherapy accompanied by non-pharmacological approaches according to the specific patient characteristics. The mainstay of acne treatment is topical pharmacotherapy, where over-the-counter products containing benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid may be recommended for mild to moderate forms of acne. Retinoids or their combination with antibiotics are prescribed for moderate and severe forms of acne. When topical treatment is ineffective or resistant, systemic treatment including for example oral antibiotics or isotretinoin is considered. Pharmacists thus engage themselves in maximizing the effect and minimizing the risks of these drugs and, last but not least, educating patients on how to properly care for their skin using so called dermocosmetics, which is defined in this article.