Acne Insights: Strategies and Solutions at 2024 SDPA Fall
The SDPA’s 22nd Annual Fall Dermatology Conference was held last week at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Conference Medical Director Hilary Baldwin, MD, joined Shanna Miranti, MPAS, PA-C, in a discussion called “Acne Insights: Expert Strategies and Solutions from the Pros.”
The presentation was focused on strategic and clever therapeutic options for a very common problem, acne vulgaris. Dr. Baldwin explained it is crucial to treat the four pillars of acne pathogenesis to ensure patients will have better success and providers will see better clearance.
“The take-home message from this presentation was to do the best thing you can for your patients,” Dr. Baldwin told Practical Dermatology, adding that providers should avoid following a “recipe.” “A lot of patients that we see come in from family practice are all on the same thing: generic tretinoin or clindamycin. An uninspired choice. One that didn’t really think about the patient sitting in front of them.”
Dr. Baldwin explained that combination therapy is key.
“Combining many different medications from all the different four pillars of acne pathophysiology, but also pushing for your patients and doing the right thing by them,” Dr. Baldwin said. “Which in many cases, in our experiences, and our opinion, is going for the branded products. We all recognize that going for branded products is more work, more effort, it requires prior authorization and step edits, but that is our job. That’s doing the best thing for our patients as possible.”
At the conclusion of the presentation, Baldwin and Miranti ensured participants would be able to identify the four pillars of acne pathogenesis, which are crucial for making therapeutic decisions, recognize the importance of combination therapy for optimal acne management, understand that vehicles can make or break a treatment plan—improving efficacy and reducing side effects—and review the newly FDA-approved acne treatment options and how they can affect acne pathogenesis.