Acne

Interventions for acne scars

Addressing priority 3: A Cochrane Review was published in April 2016. The team reviewed 24 previous trials to pull together the evidence that already exists about interventions for acne scars, and to highlight where further research is needed.

Spironolactone for Adult Female Acne (SAFA): pragmatic multicentre double-blind randomised superiority trial to investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of spironolactone for moderate or severe persistent acne in women

Addressing priority 7: NIHR research in progress

Background Acne is very common and, although thought of as a teenage condition, it often continues into adulthood where impact on quality of life can be significant. The most commonly used treatment for acne is long courses of antibiotics but concerns about antibiotic resistance mean we need to find alternatives. Spironolactone reduces hormones called androgens that are implicated in acne as these increase grease production and cause changes in follicles in the skin making them prone to acne. This study will measure whether spironolactone helps adult women with persistent moderate-severe facial acne.