The Role of Dermocosmetics in Acne Management: Asian Perspective

JoAnn See,1,* Irma Bernadette S Sitohang,2,3,* Su Ni Wong,4 Noor Zalmy Azizan,5 Nopadon Noppakun,6 Trung The Van,7 Brigitte Dreno8 1Central Sydney Dermatology, Sydney, Australia; 2Division of Cosmetic Dermatology, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia; 3Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia Hospital, Depok, Indonesia; 4Dr SN Wong Skin, Hair, Nails and Laser Specialist Clinic, Singapore; 5Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; 7Department of Dermatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 8Nantes Université, INSERM, CNRS, Immunology and New Concepts in Immunotherapy, INCIT, UMR 1302/EMR6001, Nantes, F-44000, France*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: JoAnn See, Central Sydney Dermatology, Ground Floor Windeyer Chambers, 225 Macquarie St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia, Email [email protected]: Acne vulgaris affects a majority of individuals in all world regions, including Asia. It is increasingly recognized to affect the trunk, in addition to the face, although truncal acne is likely to be both under-diagnosed and under-treated. In addition, an increasing population of adult females are seeking treatment for acne, which is often somewhat milder than that seen in adolescents and may be localized along the jawline. In Asia, acne is also common in individuals with sensitive skin, who may have a more difficult time tolerating medical therapies. Dermocosmetics, over-the-counter products with active ingredients, have beneficial effects in the management of acne, both when used alone in milder forms of acne or for maintenance of anti-acne effects and when used as an adjunct to medical regimens to improve tolerability and/or enhance efficacy. This publication, which represents a consensus of dermatologists from eight countries including seven Asian countries, reviews the reported benefits of dermocosmetics and provides recommendations to healthcare providers for ways to incorporate these products into routine practice.Keywords: acne vulgaris, cosmeceuticals, dermocosmetics, management, over-the-counter