by Dan Wright


Be careful when choosing from among the various acne treatments, as there are pros and cons to each. Acne treatments are generally aimed at reducing bacteria, clearing out dead skin cells and advancing the speed at which skin cells reproduce, and reducing oil production. Generally, most acne treatments can be grouped into three categories: over-the-counter products, prescription medications, and natural acne treatments. Let's take a brief look at each type.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Acne Treatments
Over-the-counter acne products are those you typically find in your local drug store. Many contain Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid as their active ingredients. While some of these products do a good job in helping many people get some control of their acne, some of these treatments can actually worsen one's acne situation. With so many acne products already occupying the shelves of most drugstores, picking up the right acne treatment would be like groping for a light switch in the dark. It's best to first do your homework online by reading what others have to say about particular OTC acne products they've personally used before trying them yourself. You'll save a lot of money, time, and frustration this way.
Homemade Acne Treatments
Some people have doubts that homemade acne treatments are effective. However, if you inspect the ingredients of some of the most well-known acne products, you'll see that many of them contain substances readily found in our everyday fruits & vegetables. So it's no wonder some claim that including large amounts of fruits and vegetables in the diet and drinking lots of water are essential parts of an effective homemade acne treatment.
Examples of homemade acne treatments that some claim to work include cleaning the skin with lemon, as well as putting garlic, raw papayas or even the paste of orange peels directly on acne spots. Additionally, some say that acne can be controlled with tea tree oil, coconut oil, lavender oil and jojoba oil by applying it an hour before a daily bath.
Prescription Acne Treatments
While many prescription acne treatments like Accutane are quite effective, they are also known to have side effects that could even set you back in your efforts of getting rid of acne or cause you other health problems. So, like any prescription medication, these are not to be taken lightly. These are also the most expensive type of acne treatment as not only do you have the cost of the medication itself, but also the dermatologist's fee to deal with. But if you've already tried the other two types of treatments mentioned above and are still losing the war against acne, you may want to proceed with pursuing a prescription acne treatment.
About the Author
Dan Wright has published The Acne Help Pages, an extensive resource of information on acne, its causes and treatments.

Thanks to Dan Wright for this article.