NEW ORLEANS — It's hot outside and wearing a mask can be irritating and cause breakouts around the chin.
There's even a new word for that: Maskne.
Recent medical advancements have been made in the treatment of acne, and scientists said they want to research a new treatment in a local study New Orleans area residents can participate in.
New drugs that have been in development for acne have hit the market: Altreno, ARZALO, AKLIEF, and AMZEEQ. They are all prescription topical treatments, but they work in different ways.
Dermatologist Dr. Mary Lupo said the new treatments were an improvement on current treatments.
"(Patients) who previously tried retinoids such as Retin-A and Tazorac and found them to be unnecessarily irritating (will find) that these new innovations are really game changers,” the doctor said.
She said they were combined with other ingredients that help. One did better in clinical trials than the current medication on the market, and another worked fast.
“What was noticeable in the clinical trials with those drugs was less irritation and effectiveness in many people as quickly as two weeks,” Dr. Lupo said about AKLIEF.
Dr. Lupo said she administers the local test site for yet another new topical treatment for acne.
“We are enrolling patients as young as nine who have moderate to severe acne, so we are looking for people who have acne, perhaps failed on other treatment protocols who want to try a new drug.”
Acne is mostly seen in adolescent ages into the 30s, but it can happen to any much older age because of hormones.
“We know now that the primary mechanism of action with acne. It's really an inflammatory disease of the pore. And so any time we can reduce that inflammation, it will help the acne,” she explained.
Diet adjustments can be one way to treat that inflammation. Cutting simple carbs and refined sugars will help with breakouts.
For more information on that acne clinical trial Call 504-288-2381.
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