While it is evident that many patients turn to social media for information about skin care, the quality and content of available information are not well characterized. In this study, we investigated acne-related information available on Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms. We searched for the “top” Instagram posts using the hashtag #acne and characterized them based on their source and content. Posts were excluded if they were unrelated, not in English, or duplicates. 900 posts were assessed, and 439 were included. A majority of the content (258 posts) was generated by influencers, followed by retailers (97) and non-dermatologist providers (67). Dermatologists were responsible for 17 posts, accounting for <4% of the included content. 124 separate ingredients were mentioned as potential acne treatments. The ingredients with the most mention were beta-hydroxy acids (eg, salicylic acid), alpha-hydroxy acids (eg, glycolic acid), vitamin C, niacinamide, and sunscreen. 254 posts recommended at least one specific intervention, and among these posts only 11% referenced a treatment with grade A evidence based on American Academy of Dermatology guidelines. A vast amount of content is readily available to patients on this platform. This content is heterogeneous in message and quality, and dermatologists are responsible for only a small portion of it.

Optimal topical acne treatments should ideally target multiple pathways involved in acne development.2  Traditional treatments, though often effective, may come with limitations such as skin irritation, dryness, or other adverse effects. Thus, the pursuit of optimal topical acne treatments is critical to enhancing efficacy, minimizing side effects, and improving patient adherence and satisfaction.

Antibiotic resistance and treatment adherence remain significant challenges for acne treatment. Advances in topical formulations have ushered in an era of fixed combination topical therapeutics that are well-tolerated and more efficacious. In addition, their once-daily application leads to increased treatment adherence. This article discusses formulation strategies that allow for the coadministration of active drugs and reviews all commercially available fixed-combination topical acne treatments.

The history of tretinoin and its use in dermatology is a testament both to the drug’s well-established efficacy and its potential to cause skin irritation. Over more than four decades, the drug that launched the retinoid class into the market has been used in the topical management of acne, either alone or in combination.

Microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure for treating acne scars which has already been well-established, but it has been reborn in recent years because of innovative findings. It presents many advantages in comparison with other techniques more frequently used such as laser resurfacing and deep chemical peelings; in particular, it consents to achieve good or excellent results with a minimal time (2-3 days) of recovery and rare complications, even in dark phototypes.^1,2