Acne affects millions of people every year. It does not just affect teenagers, as there are many adults who also suffer from the skin problem. Many of us are on a relentless search for the best acne treatment. There are so many different medications, creams, lotions, and cleansers on the market today that it can become a little bit confusing. Often people will buy so many different treatments and try them at once that they can actually counteract and make acne worse. When looking for the best acne treatment, it's important to know about your skin first. The most common thing people use is benzoyl peroxide. This medication can be found in many over the counter acne treatment creams. Benzoyl peroxide is designed to help dry out the afflicted areas by killing the bacteria that causes acne in the first place. Many people often see results with benzoyl peroxide within a day or two. The key to using it is to be sure and apply it to the acne once the skin has been cleaned and dried. Overnight is often best. It is important to know that benzoyl peroxide can in some cases bleach fabric or even hair, so do a test on some material before applying it. Another treatment that has increased in popularity over the last few years is Salicylic Acid. Salicylic acid is also found in many over the counter applications, and is designed to help unclog the pores and break down both blackheads and whiteheads, resulting in clearer skin. Some treatments combine both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to help boost the clearing power of the medication, and perform two different tasks on the skin at once.

A little known fact is that people have been using sulfur on acne for thousands of years. Sulfur helps to peel and dry the skin, ridding it of the excess oil. It can be found in a variety of facial soaps, cleansers, and creams. It is important to note, however, that sulfur has a very unpleasant smell. In addition, it can sometimes irritate the skin and make it red and itchy. The sulfur may cause new cells that have been exposed to adhere to each other, causing more acne. If you choose a treatment containing sulfur, be sure it is a mild one that does not contain too much. Aside from the basic drugstore or over the counter acne treatments, there are also prescription options available that can be administered from your doctor or dermatologist. These include prescription creams and even pills. Which treatment you receive will be decided by your doctor. They often look at factors like age, and the severity of the acne before prescribing something. It can be a long and hard search to find the best acne treatment, but with some trial and error, you can usually find one that will work well with your skin and help give you back a clearer complexion and more confidence. Read up on the different treatments available and try one at a time until you find the perfect match for you.

Every acne treatment should deal with the cause of the problem rather than simply concealing blemishes. Some concealers contain active ingredients that are found in a standard acne treatment, but the concealer does not do the job of cleansing the area and ridding it of oil. A good wash may be the best acne treatment available, but if a pimple has already appeared, a good concealer can be a lifesaver for that date or the big event.

It is important to use a good acne treatment and not to squeeze pimples. One may be tempted to think that, since the pore is clogged with oil, one should squeeze the oil out, but this only aggravates the problem, and can cause scarring. Some people have the nervous habit of picking pimples, which should be avoided at all costs, since it can also cause scarring. One of the best acne treatments is washing one's face properly. This does not involve intense scrubbing, which can aggravate the problem, but really cleansing the face with a good cleanser that flushes out oil. After the face is washed, you can treat the face with benzol peroxide or another acne treatment which will remove oil from the pores. Many people make the mistake of using rubbing alcohol, which is not an acne treatment, and can dry the pores excessively. The regimen can be completed with an oil-free moisturizer which will keep the skin soft without using substances that will clog the pores an make acne worse. If you wish to apply cover-up, do so after the moisturizer is applied, and make sure that your concealer does not contain oil.

For those with severe acne, it is possible to obtain special acne treatments with a prescription, but these should be purchased only if other avenues have been unsuccessful. Many people have found success with alternative acne treatments and remedies, such as tea tree oil, which works well with oily skin. Removing oil from the skin is the most important aspect of an acne treatment, and deep cleansing can ensure that the pores are not clogged.