Abstract

AbstractThe intent of this report is to summarize our experience in treating acne with tretinoin, antibiotics, and the combination of both agents. For patients with predominantly comedonal acne or in those with inflammatory acne who for one reason or another cannot receive antibiotics, tretinoin alone is used. The majority of patients have both inflammatory and comedonal lesions. These patients are treated with combination of tretinoin plus systemic antibiotics. Full doses are employed for three weeks and then halved. Once inflammatory lesions are suppressed, the antibiotic is withdrawn slowly and treatment continued with tretinoin alone. Occasionally, reintroduction of antibiotics is required. Continuance of tretinoin allows the majority of patients to be withdrawn from antibiotics without relapse. Once antibiotics have been stopped totally, tretinoin usage is titrated until maintenance dose is achieved. Severe inflammatory acne conglobata requires full doses of antibiotics plus tretinoin for a longer period before suppression of inflammatory lesions can be achieved.