Clearing acne is one thing, but keeping acne at bay can be equally, if not more daunting of a task. When treating multiethnic skin, skin care professionals need to be aware that there are significant differences between the various phototypes in human skin. What are these differences? How do darker skin tones manage to and stay clear of acne?

In January 2021, The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology convened a panel of six dermatologists that were well experienced in treating skin of color. The study’s primary efforts were to determine whether there was a racial or ethnic difference in the clinical presentation and sequela of acne, the therapeutic endpoint of acne treatment and patient expectations, and the need for specialized approaches for acne patients with skin of color.

This study found six important and unanimous points of agreement based on the data they reviewed. While some of these statements may seem a bit on the obvious side, a professional who commits these six statements to their working memory will understand acne on multicultural skin far better than before.