The pattern of medication used by acne patients: Study from a tertiary care center of North India

Background: Acne vulgaris is a common cutaneous condition seen globally and has a considerable psychosocial impact. Many patients with acne try various forms of self-medication, alternative therapies, and prescription medicines for the treatment of acne. Methods: We studied various patterns of acne treatments used in a cross-sectional study among patients presenting in a tertiary care hospital. A 2-part questionnaire was used to evaluate the socio-epidemiologic factors and responses to treatments used by acne patients presenting at our center for the first time. The patients used self-medication, alternative therapies (e.g., Ayurveda), treatments from general practitioners, and also specialists. Results: Most of the patients reported either no treatment response or even deterioration. Several patients even used topical steroids and suffered adverse effects (corticosteroid-induced rosacea-like facial dermatitis). Conclusion: The findings of our study stress the role of appropriate counseling of acne patients in management. Improvement in the doctor-patient relationship is also essential to enhance the treatment efficacy in acne.