Cosmetics in the treatment of acne vulgaris.

This article describes scenarios of patients who have acne vulgaris have tried over-the-counter products and cosmetics and are disheartened by the persistence of their disease and the resulting scars. They may have seen an aesthetician, plastic surgeon, or even a general practitioner before seeing a well-informed skin specialist. Patients perceive the dermatologist to be the skin care expert and seek guidance to obtain otherwise unobtainable results. Therefore, practicing dermatologists should take advantage of the available tools to treat patients aggressively and completely. Appropriately applied cosmetics can play a role in achieving this goal. This article describes scenarios that integrate cosmetics into an anti-acne treatment regimen that is effective and safe for all ethnic groups and is well tolerated by both male and female patients.