Faculty mentor/PI email address
venkatar@rowan.edu
Keywords
Acne Vulgaris, Microbiome-Targeted Therapies, Clinical Outcomes, Dermatology
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background: Acne vulgaris is a very common chronic skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Nearly 50 million Americans are affected annually, and it usually occurs around puberty. Due to rising antibiotic resistance and unwanted side effects to current mediations, emerging research on the role of skin and gut microbiome in acne development is of interest.
Hypothesis: Adjuvant microbiome-targeted therapies may offer better clinical outcomes than standard acne treatments alone.
Methods: Literature search performed in PubMed and Embase using keywords related to acne vulgaris, microbiome-targeted therapies, and targeted acne treatments. Of 258 studies screened, 5 met inclusion criteria.
Results: Oral probiotics used as adjuncts provided statistically superior outcomes, leading to significantly greater reductions in acne severity and greater overall lesion reduction compared to standard therapy alone. Topical probiotic-derived formulations showed efficacy comparable to 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide in reducing inflammatory lesions. In addition, microbiome-targeted adjunct therapy improved patient tolerability. Oral probiotics significantly reduced gastrointestinal adverse events (e.g., dyspepsia and diarrhea) associated with Doxycycline. Topical probiotic derivatives were found to be significantly safer and resulted in fewer treatment-associated side effects compared to topical Benzoyl Peroxide.
Conclusions: Microbiome-targeted strategies, especially oral probiotic supplementation, significantly enhance the efficacy and safety of standard acne treatment regimens.
Disciplines
Chemicals and Drugs | Medicine and Health Sciences | Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases
In Patients With Acne Vulgaris, How Do Standard Acne Treatments Combined With Adjunct Microbiome-Targeted Therapies Compare to Standard Acne Treatments Alone in Affecting Clinical Outcomes?
Background: Acne vulgaris is a very common chronic skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Nearly 50 million Americans are affected annually, and it usually occurs around puberty. Due to rising antibiotic resistance and unwanted side effects to current mediations, emerging research on the role of skin and gut microbiome in acne development is of interest.
Hypothesis: Adjuvant microbiome-targeted therapies may offer better clinical outcomes than standard acne treatments alone.
Methods: Literature search performed in PubMed and Embase using keywords related to acne vulgaris, microbiome-targeted therapies, and targeted acne treatments. Of 258 studies screened, 5 met inclusion criteria.
Results: Oral probiotics used as adjuncts provided statistically superior outcomes, leading to significantly greater reductions in acne severity and greater overall lesion reduction compared to standard therapy alone. Topical probiotic-derived formulations showed efficacy comparable to 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide in reducing inflammatory lesions. In addition, microbiome-targeted adjunct therapy improved patient tolerability. Oral probiotics significantly reduced gastrointestinal adverse events (e.g., dyspepsia and diarrhea) associated with Doxycycline. Topical probiotic derivatives were found to be significantly safer and resulted in fewer treatment-associated side effects compared to topical Benzoyl Peroxide.
Conclusions: Microbiome-targeted strategies, especially oral probiotic supplementation, significantly enhance the efficacy and safety of standard acne treatment regimens.