What are some effective over the counter acne treatments?

7 Comments

1. cristy l says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   benzoyl peroxide works.

   however, I personally have noticed a correlation with foods I eat and acne. Do you drink enough water? What types of fatty foods do you eat?

   I think that if you can tolerate drinking pleanty of water, reduce caffiene and saturated fats it might help you avoid having to put on an acne medication. However, I don’t know what your diet consists of. You might be a super healthy eater. In that case are you under a lot of stress?

   When I had a strict diet I had virtually no acne. I would try to use biore strips and I would never have any thing that stuck to those strips. Now, I care a little less about my diet (I eat more cheeses and caffiene) it is a lot different.
2. Zack S says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   proacive
3. need a reality check says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   soap
4. seven242003 says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   try witch hazel
5. Benjamin W says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   Proactive
6. Shayna says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   Many products available, some work for certain people and others work for other people. Many have Benzoyl bases. If you experiment with a product and it does not work then do not buy another product with the same active ingredient because you will get the same results. Here is a good overview of acne and treatments.
   Acne medication
   We can divide acne medication into two groups:

   Over-the-counter medication and specialized skincare products

   Prescription medication in the form of systemic or topical products

   Over-the-counter acne medication and specialized skincare products will normally include the following:

   Face wash as acne medication
   You need to remove dirt, grime and pollution from your face as well as any make-up, but an over-zealous attitude to cleansing will do more harm than good. A good facial wash or cleanser should be used twice a day to remove excess sebum and may be medicated in some form or another.

   Be careful not to use too strong a facial wash, as it will irritate the skin, strip away essential elements in the skin, and leave the skin tight and pulling. This is NOT an indication that you have cleansed the face properly, but an indication that you irritated the skin and caused the subcutaneous layer of the skin to be compromised – the very thing that you want to prevent.

   To wash your face, use a proprietary wash/soap/cleaner specially formulated for problem skin. Using lukewarm water clean the skin well, ensuring that all areas are washed. Rinse the face after washing with clear lukewarm water to remove any residue of the face wash.

   Do NOT use overly hot water. People suffering from acne and skin problems have the mistaken idea that washing their faces with scalding hot water will help clear up the problem. It WILL NOT, it will only cause more stress to the skin.

   After washing, gently pat the skin dry with a soft towel and do NOT vigorously rub the skin dry. After drying the skin, you can apply a non-alcohol toner if you so wish.

   We believe that our Problem Skin Facial Wash is a great product to use, since it contains 8 active ingredients (salicylic acid, centella asiatica etc) to help with acne and problem skin – for more information on our Problem Skin Face Wash please click here. For more information on our Clarifying Toner please click here.

   Spot treatment lotions and creams
   Benzoyl peroxide component
   Benzoyl peroxide is a very popular way to treat pimples and acne and is effective for mild forms of acne, but has the distinct disadvantage of drying the skin excessively and can cause redness and flaking.

   Salicylic acid component
   Salicylic acid is often included in creams, as it helps to correct the shedding of cells, helps unclog the pores and also helps to prevent lesions.

   Sulfur component
   Sulfur is an old remedy for acne and pimple treatment and is often used in conjunction with other ingredients, but still is one of the mainstays of acne and pimple medication.

   At Dermaxime we have four products, apart from the face wash, to help with acne and pimples and believe in a gentle way of clearing up the problem, as harsh chemicals can have negative effects on the skin. Our products, like any good skincare product will not work overnight, but the regular use of the products will help with skin problems and has brought relief to acne sufferers who never thought that an improvement was possible.

   The four other products are:

   Problem Skin Moisturizing Gel, containing 12 active ingredients, including AC NET, Willow Bark extract, Centella Asiatica and Oats extract to assist with the problem, while still providing moisture without any oiliness – for more info click here.

   Spot Treatment Cream is a product to apply on individual spots and contains 9 active ingredients including Sulfur, Centella asiatica and Rosehip oil to help clear up the inflammation – for more info click here.

   Problem Skin Night Cream contains 16 active ingredients so formulated to nourish your skin, while not being greasy or oily – for instance AC NET – and for more info click here.

   Problem Skin Mask contains 12 active ingredients (including AC NET) to help soothe the skin and has antiseptic properties and will also help to reduce the redness of the face – for more info click here.

   Prescription acne medication
   Should you however suffer from cystic acne, or find that over-the-counter acne medication has little or no effect on your acne, then a dermatologist must be consulted and he/she will then probably fight your skin problem with a variety of prescription acne medication products.

   Topical medication may include antibiotic, sulfonamide, azeleic acid or retinoid compounds to treat acne, and the type used will be determined by various factors and will be assessed by your dermatologist. Be sure to ask what you may or may not do while using these creams, as some of them may have negative side effects.

   Oral medication may include a broad spectrum antibiotic such as tetracycline (which may cause staining of teeth in very young patients and may also not be taken by pregnant women), erythromycin or minocycline etc. Corticosteroid treatment can be given for a short period of time for very severe acne, but may cause unwanted side effects in longer term use.

   Oral isotretinoin treatment may also be undertaken, and is extremely popular as good results can be achieved, but the downside of this treatment is that it is a very powerful drug and if not VERY closely monitored may cause liver damage and a array of other very uncomfortable and unwanted problems. For more information on the side effects please click here.

   Hormonal treatments may also be undertaken, but are not feasible for all sufferers and once again must be closely monitored.

   We have divided the pages dealing with acne and pimples into various categories, which you can access by following the hyperlinks:

   Acne information
   Acne glossary and explanations
   Age groups affected by acne
   Acne scars – treatment and prevention
   Facts and myths about acne
   Social behavior and psychological effects of acne and pimples
   Where acne is found on the body

   We also have a selection of other articles available which you can access below, but if you wish to have a look at our product catalogue, please click here.

   Cosmetic surgery
   Tummy tuck surgery
   Eyelid lift surgery
   Botox injections
   Breast enlargement surgery
   Breast lift surgery
   Breast reduction surgery
   Collagen and other wrinkle fillers
   Facial implant surgery
   Facial peels, dermabrasion and laser resurfacing
   Fat injections
   Forehead and eyebrow lift surgery
   Hair transplant surgery
   Lip implant surgery
   Liposuction surgery (also known as lipoplasty, liposculpture and lipo)
   Permanent make-up
   Nose jobs – rhinoplasty nose surgery
   Facelift surgery
   Spider vein removal
   Finding and choosing a plastic surgeon
   Preparing for cosmetic surgery
   Acne information
   Acne glossary and explanations
   Age groups affected by acne
   Acne medication – over-the-counter and prescription
   Acne isotretinoin treatment
   Acne scars – treatment and prevention
   Facts and myths about acne
   Social behavior and psychological effects of acne and pimples
   Where acne is found on the body
   Antioxidants, free radicals and aging
   Apple cider vinegar diet
   Cosmetic testing on animals – Dermaxime’s policy
   Facial massage
   Baggy eyes
   Ordering Dermaxime anti-aging cosmetic and skincare products.
   Fax ordering
   Exfoliating the skin – removing dead skin cells
   Fatty acids – their role in the human body.
   That tight, pulling feeling after washing your face
   Facial exercises
   Formulation of the Dermaxime range
   Glossary
   Manicure at home.
   Nails as an indicator of general health.
   Nutrition and its effect on aging
   The philosophy of our range
   Positive mental attitude.
   The skin
   Sun damage, photoaging and sun tanning
   Preservatives in cosmetics
7. S says:

   August 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

   i had a bad case of acne in high school. someone told me to put vinegar on my skin like a toner with the help of cotton swab….it worked!!! try it. it stings a bit but the acne does goes down. also, massage your face with ice cubes. that helps a lot for me.

   http://www.ayurvediccure.com/homeremedies_acne.htm