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It is clear that acne vulgaris often has medical and psychosocial implications that can range from mild to severe. To minimize these risks, evaluation and appropriate treatment are necessary, even in the younger pediatric patient. This article provides an overview of the current information on the topical and systemic treatment of acne, including innovative delivery options and new formulations and combinations of existing medications. Semin Cutan Med Surg 29:13-16 [C] 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved., ********** Medical intervention for acne rarely is contraindicated. The appearance of inflammatory facial lesions is an indication for early, aggressive treatment. Early, aggressive intervention should also be considered in patients [...]

The direct and clinically obvious medical sequelae of acne vulgaris are well described. Physical comorbidities associated with classic acne are quite rare. Often more difficult to detect and measure are the short- and long-term psychosocial consequences of acne. These frequently are devastating and life-altering and in some cases are life-threatening. Semin Cutan Med Surg 29:9-12 [C] 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved., ********** Acne once was widely considered more a rite of passage than a disease. Over time, awareness of the potentially destructive impact of acne increased, along with the development of [...]

The demographic profile of facial acne vulgaris has changed during the past several decades; 12 years of age is no longer the low end of the 'normal' range for onset of acne. The available epidemiologic evidence raises more questions than it answers regarding the etiology of this downward shift. More study is needed to clarify whether the trend toward an earlier onset of puberty in the United States has influenced the clinical picture of acne. Additional research will help advance understanding of the spectrum of pathophysiologic changes in acne in younger pediatric patients and whether it varies from that found in individuals in whom the onset of acne occurs at approximately 12 years of age or later. Semin Cutan Med Surg 29:2-4 [C] 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved., ********** In the past several years, clinicians have noted an earlier onset of acne--that is, the appearance of acne in patients as young as 8 or 9 years of age. [...]