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Review
. 2021 Feb;11(1):79-91.
doi: 10.1007/s13555-020-00481-w. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

New Acne Therapies and Updates on Use of Spironolactone and Isotretinoin: A Narrative Review

Jane J Han  1   2 , Adam Faletsky  1   3 , John S Barbieri  4 , Arash Mostaghimi  5
Affiliations
Review

New Acne Therapies and Updates on Use of Spironolactone and Isotretinoin: A Narrative Review

Jane J Han et al. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a multifactorial pathogenesis. Although a variety of acne treatments are available, limitations of current therapies include tolerability, antimicrobial resistance, and costs and patient burden associated with monitoring. This narrative review focuses on emerging treatments and updates on the management of acne. Clascoterone, sarecycline, trifarotene, and novel lotion formulations of tretinoin and tazarotene have been evaluated in clinical trials and provide new options for treatment. Emerging data on the safety and efficacy of spironolactone and isotretinoin challenge current conventions and suggest a need to reconsider drug monitoring guidelines and risk prevention systems. Additional head-to-head data are needed to confirm these novel treatments' utility in treating acne.

Keywords: Acne; Clascoterone; Isotretinoin; Retinoids; Sarecycline; Spironolactone.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pathogenesis of acne (blue) and novel treatments’ mechanism of action (red)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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