It  is  essential  to stress to  the  patient  that topical therapies will need to be used for the next several years of his  life. In addition,  the  application must not be applied just to the spots but to the whole of the affected areas,  not necessarily only  on  the  face but  where appropriate to the back and chest.  In this section the major types of acne therapies used  topically will be discussed: benzoyl peroxide, retinoic acid, topical antibiotics, azelaic acid and others.