Acne beliefs, treatment‐seeking behaviors, information media usage, and impact on daily living activities of Thai acne patients

Patient and Healthcare Provider Perspectives on the Pathway to Diagnosis of Seborrheic Dermatitis in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic inflammatory skin condition associated with significant impact on quality of life, yet its etiology and pathophysiology are not well understood. With significant impact on patients' quality of life, understanding the diagnostic pathway from the perspectives of patient and healthcare providers (HCPs) is crucial.

METHODS

An online survey was developed and administered in conjunction with the Harris Poll to gain insight into patient and HCP perspectives about SD diagnosis and management from December 2021 to January 2022.

RESULTS

Most patients were unaware of SD before their diagnosis (71%) and experienced difficulty finding information online (56%). Patients delayed seeking medical attention for SD by an average of 3.6 years, with most patients feeling their symptoms did not require medical attention (63%), a perception that HCPs correctly anticipated. Additionally, most patients (58%) reported embarrassment discussing their SD symptoms with HCPs, a factor HCPs underestimated. HCPs also underestimated the percentage of patients self-reporting moderate-severity SD. Patients preferred dermatology HCPs for SD treatment (79%), and reported visiting an average of 2.3 different HCPs, with 75% of patients seeing more than one provider.

CONCLUSION

These insights highlight the complexities in the diagnostic and management pathways of SD and underscore the need for a more nuanced understanding and approach in addressing the condition. Infographic available for this article. INFOGRAPHIC.

Social media use as a source of information by acne vulgaris patients

BACKGROUND

Social media and internet usage is undeniably high. Misinformation obtained from the internet and wrong treatment methods can cause serious problems in patients with acne vulgaris (AV). In this study, the sociodemographic data of AV patients, their frequency of using the internet as an information source, the relationship between them, and their attitudes and behaviors regarding their disease due to these programs were examined.

METHODS

481 patients aged 14 and over diagnosed with AV were included in the study. It was conducted in a descriptive cross-sectional type. Acne severity of all patients included in the study was determined using the Global Acne Grading System.

RESULTS

78.3 percent of participants use social media to get information about AV. It was determined that men and single people used social media about their illnesses at a statistically significantly higher rate than women and married people (p = 0.004). In addition, patients aged 13-18 and high school graduates use social media as a source of information about their diseases, and this rate is statistically significantly higher (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Especially in the last decade, the use of social media tools to spread health messages has increased significantly. Because it has a chronic course and can cause cosmetic problems, AV patients may frequently resort to communication sources such as social media. Considering the possibility of social media misinforming patients, physicians should be aware that their patients with AV frequently use social media and should improve themselves in creating correct awareness on this issue.

Efficacy and Safety of Detachable Microneedle Patch Containing Triamcinolone Acetonide in the Treatment of Inflammatory Acne

Background

Detachable microneedles (DMNs) are dissolvable microneedles that detach from the base during administration. The use of DMNs-containing steroids for acne has never been investigated.

Methods

Thirty-five patients with facial inflammatory acne were evaluated for acne treatment efficacy and safety of DMNs and DMNs containing triamcinolone acetonide (TA) via a 28-day randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Four inflammatory acne lesions were selected from each participant and randomly treated with a single application of 700 µm DMNs containing 262.02 ± 15.62 µg TA (700DMNTA), 1000 µm DMNs containing 160.00 ± 34.92 µg TA (1000DMNTA), 700 µm DMN without TA (700DMN), and a control. Efficacy was measured by assessing physical grading, diameter, volume, erythema index, and melanin index. Safety was evaluated by assessing reports of adverse effects from patients and physicians.

Results

All three treatment groups achieved resolution of inflammatory acne significantly faster than the control group, with median times for resolution of 4.6, 5.25, 6.7, and 8.1 days in the 1000DMNTA, 700DMNTA, 700DMN, and control, respectively. When compared to the control group, the diameters and post-acne erythema of inflammatory acne were significantly reduced in the treatment groups. The 1000DMNTA decreased acne size and erythema more than other treatments. DMNTA also tended to decrease acne size and erythema more than DMN with no TA, but there was no statistically significant difference. All participants preferred DMN over conventional intralesional steroid injection due to less pain and self-application. No adverse effect was observed.

Conclusion

DMNTA is a safe, effective alternative treatment for inflammatory acne and significantly reduces post-acne erythema.

Rates of skincare product and cosmetic procedure use in patients with acne vulgaris and the effective factors: A multicenter study with 1,755 patients

BACKGROUND

Skincare products and cosmetic procedures are used as an adjunct or complementary to conventional drug therapy for acne vulgaris (AV).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the use of skincare products and the frequency of cosmetic procedures in AV treatment.

METHODS

A total of 1,755 patients with AV completed the survey prepared by the researchers and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) questionnaire. The clinical findings and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) severity scores were recorded by the dermatologists.

RESULTS

For AV, 66.7% of the patients stated that they used skincare products and 26.7% had undergone cosmetic procedures. The use of skincare products was statistically significantly higher in women (female: 74.5%, male: 57.7%, p < 0.0001); older people (users: 22 ± 7.6years, non-users: 21.2 ± 5.7 years, p < 0.0001); patients with a higher CADI score (users: 7 ± 3.7, non-users: 6.9 ± 4.3, p = 0.010); FDA severity score 2 and 3 (FDA-1: 58.1%; FDA-2: 72.4%, FDA-3: 73%, FDA-4: 67%, p < 0.0001); long-term disease (users: 57 ± 43 months; non-users: 47.7 ± 42.3 months, p < 0.0001); facial involvement (present: 70.2%, absent: 51.4%, p = 0.017); high income levels (users: 73.5%; non-users: 26.5%, p = 0.001); and graduate or post-graduate degrees (undergraduate≤%62.8, graduate≥%76.8, p < 0.0001). The rate of cosmetic procedures was higher in those with higher CADI scores (users: 7.8 ± 3.8; non-users: 7.1 ± 3.96, p < 0.0001); older patients (users: 22.7 ± 10.7 years; non-users: 21.3 ± 5 years, p < 0.0001); high school (25.6%); and graduate (28.9%) education (p = 0.043), those with lower disease severity (FDA-1: 31.1%; FDA-2: 28.5%, FDA-3: 27.1%, FDA-4: 20.4%, p = 0.022); smokers (smokers: 32.5%; non-smokers: 25.5%, p = 0.020), and those with AV in the family (present: 29.8%; absent: 24.2%, p = 0.009). The patients most frequently used cleansers (85.2%) as cosmetic products, and most commonly underwent skincare treatment (71%) as an interventional procedure. They mostly learned about such products and methods from the Internet, and 33.3% of the participants had undergone procedures performed by non-physicians.

CONCLUSION

The patients generally choose skincare products as a result of their Internet search and sometimes have these procedures performed by non-physicians. Dermatologists should be aware of this situation and inform their patients about appropriate products and procedures.

Social media use in patients with acne vulgaris: What do patients expect from social media?

BACKGROUND

Acne vulgaris (AV) may affect external appearance and significantly deteriorate the quality of life of patients. Therefore, patients make various inquiries about their disease and seek treatment options.

AIMS

To investigate the social media usage habits of patients with AV concerning their diseases, and their recommendations for dermatologists related to social media use.

METHODS

A total of 1609 patients with AV completed the survey prepared by the authors and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index questionnaire. The Food and Drug Administration severity scores and clinical information of the patients were noted by their physicians.

RESULTS

Of the 1,489 patients who stated that they used social media, 46.31% regularly and 28.77% sometimes referred to these sources to make inquiries about AV. Social media usage for AV was statistically significantly higher in women, participants with short term and severe disease, those with a moderate income level, and those using topical treatment and cosmetics. They mostly used Google (67%), Instagram (54%), and YouTube (49%). While 76% of the participants stated that they did not share what they saw on the Internet with their doctor. Of the respondents, 18.5% were trying to contact their dermatologists through the Internet, and 69.73% would prefer experts such as dermatologists to post-AV-related content.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that patients frequently resort to social media to seek information about AV. In the changing digital world order, it is observed that there is a need for dermatologists to use social media more actively to share accurate information about AV.