A modern approach to the treatment of acne

For many years, acne has been one of the most common dermatological diseases and an urgent problem in modern cosmetology. Hundreds of thousands of patients around the world face, in one age or another, with the problem of acne on the skin of the face and body. Acne treatment – This is a complex task that can only be handled by a qualified and experienced specialist. Especially for readers of estet-portal.com, dermatologist of the highest category Litus Inna Vladimirovna spoke about the features of the modern approach to the treatment of acne.

Inna Vladimirovna, tell me why acne is the most common dermatosis today?

I don't know if there is a person who hasn't had acne in one form or another at least once. It may be one or two elements of rashes, or common forms, but this disease is really associated with impaired functioning of the sebaceous glands. The sebaceous glands, in turn, react to many environmental factors: to what we eat, to hyperinsolation and other factors, under the influence of which such rashes appear.

What factors play a major role in the development of acne?

In fact, this is a polyetiological disease, and for each patient the factors are different. It is believed that hyperinsolation is one of the main provoking factors for acne.

The sun contributes to the thickening of the skin, disruption of its exfoliation, that is, increased keratinization, blockage of the sebaceous glands, resulting in a rash.

Which remedies are used to treat acne in the first place?

The first line of therapy depends on the type of acne and its severity. The first funds – These are retinoids, especially in the treatment of severe forms of acne. Retinoids synthetic, natural, any keratolytic agents, and, if necessary, antibiotics and hormonal agents.

How do you feel about long-term antibiotic therapy for acne?

I like to prescribe topical antibiotics, they prefer to prescribe systemic retinoids if it is already "acne fulminans", and if you prescribe an antibiotic – then only for a short period to stop acute purulent inflammation, which is an aggravation of acne itself. But the antibiotic itself does not cure acne, of course.

The treatment of acne involves the use of drugs that affect the sebaceous gland.

What is the essence of the combined approach in the treatment of acne?

When diagnosing acne, we take into account a lot of factors. Starting from skin sensitivity, the presence of comedones, and these are both open and closed, and microcomedones, the presence of papules and pustules - by collecting a whole set of these funds, we select the etiopathogenetic treatment of acne. Skin care is also one of the most important components of acne treatment, because we use products that greatly exfoliate the skin and dry it out. That's why we include products that soften the skin and protect it from the sun's rays.

Does the 2016 European Protocols reflect a fundamentally new approach to the treatment of acne?

In principle, no. The only thing is that European protocols call for a closer look at adapalene – these are retinoid-like substances that are not as teratogenic as synthetic retinoids.