CMAJ • APRIL 19, 2011 • 183(7) © 2011 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors E430 Acne vulgaris has a substantial impact on a patient’s quality of life, affecting both self-esteem and psychosocial development.1 Patients and physicians are faced with many over-the-counter and prescription acne treatments, and choosing the most effective therapy can be confusing. In this article, we outlin...

Systemic treatment is required in patients with moderate-to-severe acne, especially when acne scars start to occur. Antibiotics with anti-inflammatory properties, such as tetracyclines (oxytetracycline, tetracycline chloride, doxycycline, minocycline and limecycline) and macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin and azithromycin) are the agents of choice for papulopustular acne, even though the emerg...

Acne conglobata is a severe form of nodulocystic acne that often represents a therapeutic challenge for dermatologists due to its resistance to the usual therapies. The condition is chronic and disfiguring and has a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life. It presents with numerous comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and abscesses on the chest, back, face, and neck. Histology usu...