In this article we shall be talking of skin treatments for acne. We should understand what causes acne and how to take care of our skin in order to prevent and ultimately cure it. It isn’t enough just to wash your skin repeatedly for eliminating acne. This article focuses on 3 steps you should take in order to treat acne effectively. Most people might just do one or two steps, so their results are not as effective or long lasting.

The 3 important stages involved in skin treatment for acne are:

Cleansing and exfoliating,

Keeping the skin clear,

Medicine (if required).

1. Cleansing and Exfoliating:

Acne is a skin disorder which is mainly caused due to inflammation of the skin glands and their hair follicles. Acne is formed under the skin, so just washing away the skin surface oils will not do you much good. In fact, too much washing of the skin might aggravate the problem by causing irritation of whiteheads and blackheads.

It would be much better if you use mild cleansers in order to clean your skin. Some of the recommended skin cleansers available in the market are – Cetaphil, Clarisonic, Aveeno, Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System. These are some of the popular brands of acne cleansers which are very popular and widely used in skin treatments for acne.

Besides skin cleaning, it is also important to exfoliate with the help of facial scrub. Exfoliating means removing the layer of dead skin cells. This step is very important if you want to enjoy a healthy and acne-free skin. Again, some of the recommended products for face scrubs are – Nivea Face Scrub, St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Aveeno Daily Scrub and Olay Scrub to name just a few.

2. Keep The Skin Clear:

This is the next step you need to undertake. Remember what I said in the beginning of the article. Most people just perform one or two of these steps and then wonder why their acne is not gone permanently. You shouldn’t skip any of these steps if you want to enjoy a healthy skin which is free from acne and pimples.

In order to keep your skin clear, you should use oil-free cosmetics, lotions and sunscreens. Try to avoid hair gels as they tend to be oily. Stay a foot or two away from oily cosmetic products as they are not good for you since you have this acne problem.

When you buy any skin product look for label that reads “noncomedogenic” which means it won’t clog your skin pores. Some of the popular oil-free products you can try out are as follows:

Oil Free Lotions – Neutrogena, Earth Mama Angel

Oil Free Sunscreens – Coppertone Lotion, Neutrogen Ultra Sheer, Eltamd UV Clear etc.

3. Medications:

This third step is also important otherwise your acne treatment would not be complete. I have listed down some popular medications you can try out for treating acne. Some of them might require advice from a skin specialist before you try them out.

a) Salicylic acid: This is commonly used to treat non-inflammed acne. It is a popular ingredient which can be found in many lotions, creams and other acne treatment products. There are a few products from Neutrogena and Glytone which contain Salicylic acid in order to treat acne.

b) Benzoyl peroxide: It helps in killing bacteria, unplugging oil ducts and thus helping in preventing the spread of pimples. You should start gently by using a 5% gel or lotion once a day. After a week, increase the use to twice per day. If the acne still persists after a month or two, try a 10% solution.

Most of these lotions are available over-the-counter without requiring a doctor’s prescription. Some of the leading products containing Benzoyl peroxide are – Topix Benzoyl Peroxide 10% Wash, Glytone Acne Gel, Topix Benzoyl Peroxide 5% Wash, Neutrogena Vanishing Formula.

c) Antibiotics – These are to be taken only with a doctor’s prescription. They are helpful in treating acne which is red and/or swollen. If your acne problem is persistent even after trying out other medications and above steps, then you might need to consult a doctor for trying out antibiotics.

Make sure you follow the doctor’s instructions properly and also take plenty of water throughout the day when you are on a dose of antibiotics. Their use might increase your skin’s sensitivity to sun, so try to wear a sunscreen lotion when going outdoors while you are on antibiotics treatment.