Significance of maintenance therapy: Because of the chronic course of acne and the clinical characteristics of acne that are prone to recurrence, maintenance therapy after symptomatic improvement is important regardless of the acne level. Maintenance therapy reduces and prevents relapses, improves patient compliance, improves patient quality of life, is a more aggressive and proactive treatment option, and is considered part of the systematic and complete treatment of acne. Methods: Evidence-based medical evidence suggests that topical retinoic acid is the first-line drug of choice for the maintenance treatment of acne. Topical retinoic acid prevents the formation of microcomedones, thereby preventing the development of acne and inflammatory lesions. There are no known medications that are superior to topical retinoic acid in terms of efficacy and safety in maintenance therapy. For those with mild inflammatory lesions requiring antimicrobial therapy, a combination of topical benzoyl peroxide may be considered. Some anti-acne medical skin care products with proven clinical efficacy may also be used as an adjunct to maintenance therapy. The duration of treatment: The current clinical trials are mostly for 3-4 months and have shown significant efficacy in preventing recurrence and reducing symptoms, with recurrence of symptoms soon after cessation of treatment suggesting that a longer duration of treatment is beneficial, but there is no evidence-based information on longer duration of treatment.