Over-the-Counter Acne Treatments

You Must Know This

Over-the-counter acne treatments are generally hit or miss. Some people will experience excellent results, while others will struggle to find a product that works for them and subsequently have to use pharmaceutical strength acne treatments. Most over-the-counter acne treatments are best for mild to moderate acne. Those individuals with severe cases of acne may not find a product in a drug or grocery store suited to treat their condition. These persons may need to visit with a dermatologist and get professional guidance.

Over-the-counter acne products will target different causes. It is for this reason that a person needs to have a good idea about what type of acne they have and how best to treat it. A person may be able to do a little research to find out why they might be breaking out. Most individuals will only be able to find a solution after much trial, error and experience. Time and self-study has likely given these individuals clues to what is causing them to break out and then how to best treat it.

Some acne products will help get rid of dead skin cells and encourage new ones to grow, which may have a positive effect on acne. Others will kill the bacteria that contributes to acne formation. When considering over-the-counter acne treatment products, keep an eye open for what active ingredients are being used. Different active ingredients will target acne in different ways. Let’s discuss a few popular active acne ingredient products below.

Salicylic acid: This ingredients helps to slow down cell shedding within the hair follicles. This helps to stymie the clogging of the pores. It also helps to get rid of whiteheads and blackheads. Most products that contain salicylic acid will have between .5% and 2% salicylic acid.

Benzoyl Peroxide: This may be one of the best OTC ingredients for acne. It helps to get rid of extra oil and also helps to slough off those dead skin cells that cause the pores to become blocked. Products with benzoyl peroxide generally contain between 2.5% and 10%. Some people won’t be able to use extremely strong doses of benzoyl peroxide. More then a 5% concentration will cause problems for some people. Too strong of a dose can cause skin irritation, including dryness, swelling and scaling. It is important to wear sunscreen when using benzoyl peroxide because it can lead to increased UV sensitivity, which can lead to sunburn.