Four years of study by an expert group on truncal acne: where are we now?

ABSTRACT

Background

Until recently, interest in truncal acne has been low, resulting in only a small amount of published data, focussing mainly on therapeutic options previously developed for facial acne.

Objectives

This report provides a summary of the work carried out since 2020 on truncal acne by a group of experts in acne.

Material & Methods

The expert group reviewed their own studies as well as more recently published articles on truncal acne and its management in daily clinical practice.

Results

The experts produced four publications dating from 2020 onwards on the different issues regarding truncal acne, ranging from physiopathology, aetiology, assessment of severity, and treatment to quality of life in adolescents. Since these studies began, six other publications on truncal acne have been published. Of these, four concern investigative data on clascoterone, sarecyline and a dermocosmetic; one is a review on the management of truncal acne and acne scars, and one is an update of the American acne treatment guidelines. Moreover, the authors confirmed that interest in truncal acne has significantly increased over recent years and that new treatment options for truncal acne are either being developed or are already available.

Conclusion

Truncal acne has significantly gained interest over recent years, and novel assessment tools and treatments are available to manage this condition efficiently. However, international treatment guidelines require updating, considering the importance of truncal acne.