CURRENT OPTIONS FOR THE TOPICAL TREATMENT OF ACNE-VULGARIS

The etiopathogenesis of acne vulgaris, a common disorder of youth and adolescence, includes four primary processes: hyperkeratinization (plu gging) of the pilosebacous follicles, increased testosterone levels, b acterial colonization with Propionibacterium acnes, and inflammation. No single agent has yet been developed that addresses all of these fac tors, Combination regimens, therefore, which usually include an antibi otic and an agent to reduce follicular plugging, have become the mains tay of treatment, Despite a relative dearth of new treatments for almo st a decade, recent research has produced a number of new significant oral and topical agents, Azelaic acid, a naturally occurring dicarboxy lic acid analogue, has shown promise, and a group of retinoids that in clude adapalene, tazarotene, and reformulations of tretinoin represent new and forthcoming agents for topical treatment of acne vulgaris, So me studies indicate that several of these agents are associated with l ess skin irritation than previous formulations while they retain poten t comedolytic activity. Adapalene also possesses significant anti-infl ammatory activity.