Best Acne Treatment in 2026: Skincare, Prescriptions, Diet & More

madman · 2026-05-18T10:07:48-0500

I'm John Barbieri, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and acne expert at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In this video we provide a comprehensive overview of how to treat acne in 2026. We will review skincare, over-the-counter products, prescription medications, procedures, and the role of diet and nutrition. We will go through specific examples including potential treatment regimens that combine multiple mechanisms of action into a team-based plan. This video has everything you need to know about how to achieve clear skin in 2026.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro
0:20 Skincare
2:56 Over-the-counter products
7:18 Prescription creams (topicals)
10:30 Combination topicals and example regimens
13:46 Systemic medications (pills)
23:41 Procedures
25:17 Diet and nutrition
27: 42 Summary

madman · 2026-05-18T10:08:51-0500

Thread 'The primary role of sebum in the pathophysiology of acne vulgaris'

Dec 26, 2023

ABSTRACT

Background

Sebum physiology and its contributions to acne vulgaris (AV) pathophysiology have been long debated. Within the pilosebaceous unit, androgens drive sebocyte production of sebum, comprising mono-, di-, and triglycerides (the latter converted to fatty acids); squalene; cholesterol; cholesterol esters; and wax esters. Upon release to the skin surface, human sebum has important roles in epidermal water retention, antimicrobial defenses, and innate immune responses.

Aims

Alterations in sebum alone and with other pathogenic factors (inflammation...