How to Manage Acne From the Start: Practical Tips on Integrating Newer Topical Approaches

In this episode of Derms and Conditions, host James Q. Del Rosso, DO, welcomes Lisa Swanson, MD, to explore how acne management continues to evolve and how newer topical therapies can be integrated thoughtfully from the outset.

They begin with Dr Swanson highlighting an important clinical reality: acne is presenting at increasingly younger ages, prompting earlier conversations about skin care routines and long-term strategies. At the same time, dermatologists now have several truly novel topical options, an uncommon development in acne therapeutics over the past decade.

Using a typical adolescent patient as a reference point, she then outlines the range of options she reviews in clinic: foundational topical regimens (retinoids, benzoyl peroxide combinations, clascoterone, topical minocycline foam, or fixed triple combinations), selective short courses of oral antibiotics, consideration of oral probiotics based on emerging data, and hormonal approaches in appropriate female patients. She emphasizes tailoring mechanisms when combining therapies; for example, pairing hormonal therapy with a topical that offers a complementary pathway.

Dr Del Rosso revisits the 4 pillars of acne pathophysiology, highlighting androgen-driven sebum production as an upstream contributor. This leads to a focused discussion on clascoterone as the first topical androgen receptor inhibitor and how targeting sebum early may alter lesion development. Both clinicians stress that clascoterone is best viewed as foundational rather than adjunctive therapy, emphasizing the importance of setting realistic expectations on time to peak efficacy.

The conversation also covers tolerability, barrier considerations, twice-daily adherence, and admixture data with common topical agents. Clinical pearls include setting early follow-ups to reinforce adherence, aligning office staff messaging, and using shared decision-making to balance patient priorities like oil control and pore appearance with mechanistic treatment goals.

Tune in to the episode to hear real strategies for initiating acne therapy with intention, integrating newer topicals early, and guiding patients toward regimens that are both physiologically sound and sustainable in everyday practice.