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Where is Your Acne? The Importance of Speaking to a Dermatologist About the Acne on Your Face  and Beyond

2019-12-09T05:01:00

(BPT) - Did you know that acne affects more than 50 million Americans?1 Even though the condition is astoundingly widespread, not everyone experiences acne the same way. While facial acne is the most visible presentation, 52% of people with facial acne are also affected by acne on their back, shoulders and chest.2 That’s why it’s so important to consider not only if you’re breaking out, but where, and be prepared to speak up to your dermatologist.

Even though acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S., treatment regimens vary, and for those that experience acne on their trunk – the term dermatologists use to refer to the back, shoulders and chest – the current available treatment options may not be enough.3 The truth is, acne doesn’t discriminate and many who are impacted have likely cycled through two or more treatments by the time they reach adulthood, without achieving the results they’re looking for.4

“I frequently prescribe a retinoid treatment for patients with acne, as they’re our first line of defense in prescription acne treatment thanks to their ability to regulate skin cell turnover and their anti-inflammatory properties,” says Dr. Julie Harper, Birmingham, Alabama-based board-certified dermatologist and Galderma consultant. “While retinoids have been the gold standard for many years, there have not been retinoid treatments proven safe and effective to use on the trunk in addition to the face. This is important, as more than half of those with acne on the face have acne on the trunk as well.”

Beyond the need for a treatment for both the face and trunk, we need to look at the subset of patients who are most frustrated – young adults.4 The fact is, some people don’t outgrow their acne, and we’re now seeing adult acne affecting women more often than men – particularly adult-onset acne.4

“The onset of acne in adulthood is actually becoming increasingly common in women in their 20s and beyond, and you can develop acne as an adult even if you didn’t experience acne in your teenage years,” says Dr. Harper.

The need for these patients is clear – treatment regimens designed to treat not just the face, but the chest, back and shoulders as well, and personalized treatment approaches through an open and honest patient-dermatologist dialogue. For these patients, a newly FDA-approved treatment may be the option they’ve been looking for.

AKLIEF (trifarotene) Cream, 0.005% was recently approved for the treatment of acne vulgaris, marking the first new retinoid molecule to be approved in 20 years.5,6 In another groundbreaking milestone, AKLIEF Cream marks the first topical treatment specifically studied and proven safe and effective to treat both facial and truncal (chest, shoulders and back) acne.7

If you’re experiencing acne on the face and trunk, talk to a dermatologist about finding a treatment that might be right for you.

Learn more at AKLIEF.com.

AKLIEF Cream U.S. Important Safety Information

Indication: AKLIEF® (trifarotene) Cream, 0.005% is a retinoid indicated for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 9 years of age and older. Adverse Events: The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 1%) in patients treated with AKLIEF Cream were application site irritation, application site pruritus (itching), and sunburn. Warnings/Precautions: Patients using AKLIEF Cream may experience erythema, scaling, dryness, and stinging/burning. Use a moisturizer from the initiation of treatment, and, if appropriate, depending upon the severity of these adverse reactions, reduce the frequency of application of AKLIEF Cream, suspend or discontinue use. Avoid application of AKLIEF Cream to cuts, abrasions or eczematous or sunburned skin. Use of “waxing” as a depilatory method should be avoided on skin treated with AKLIEF Cream. Minimize exposure to sunlight and sunlamps. Use sunscreen and protective clothing over treated areas when exposure cannot be avoided.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.



[1] American Academy of Dermatology. Acne. https://www.aad.org/media/stats/conditions. Accessed October 28, 2019.

[2] Del Rosso JQ. A closer look at truncal acne vulgaris: prevalence, severity, and clinical significance. J Drugs Dermatol. 2007;6:597-600.

[3] Tan JK, Tang J, Fung K, Gupta AK, Thomas DR, et al. Prevalence and severity of facial and truncal acne in a referral cohort. J Drugs Dermatol. 2008;7(6):551-556.

[4] American Academy of Dermatology. Adult acne. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/adult-acne. Accessed August 28, 2019.

[5] FDA DRAFT PPI, Galderma.

[6] British Association of Dermatologists. Topical trifarotene: a new retinoid. Br J Dermatol.2018;179:231-232.

[7] Tan J, Thiboutot D, Popp G, Gooderham M, Lynde C, et al. Randomized Phase 3 evaluation of trifarotene 50 μg/g cream treatment of moderate facial and truncal acne. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2019.02.044.

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