It wasn't that long ago when acne (Zits) was considered a curse for the many individuals that suffer from this problem; but there are now many treatments available which can help the condition so it is more bearable. It is not surprising then that a great deal of money has been spent on skin care treatment development; this is good news with the range of effective skin care treatments improving all the time. We can classify acne skin care products into 3 broad categories: <UL TYPE="square"> *Internet or Drugstore: Treatment that helps prevents condition *Over-the-Counter: Treatments for conditions that do not require prescription *Prescription only: Requires visit to doctor </UL

General or preventative acne products form a large section of the skin care market; these products can be anything from skin cleansers to makeup removers. Whilst many sufferers use these products there are even more who just want to keep their skin clean and conditioned; in many instances the user has never had a skin condition to worry about. More specialized cleaners are designed in the same way as acne skin care products; devised primarily to limit the amount of oil or sebum forming in the pores. Excess oil needs to be stopped from clogging the pores as this oil make it easier for bacteria to grow, exacerbating the condition.

Exfoliation skin peels have proved quite effective as a skin care treatment and at controlling the problem; these are easily obtainable in any drug store. These work towards removing dead skin cells, reducing the possibility of pore-clogging and bacteria development. The growth of the skin care market has allowed even more specialized acne skin care products to be available without the need to visit the doctor. Treatments that are effective contain the ingredients benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid; they work by removing the excess oil from the skin and halt the growth of acne.

It is preferable when you first start using this type of product to keep the concentration of it low, around 5.5 percent is best; an alternative to this includes products which contain alpha hydroxy acid. As with any type of zit cream, you may need to try a few acne skin care products until you find one that will suit your skin; however, if nothing you try seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist. On-prescription treatments are prescribed by a dermatologist and can include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical ointment.

Under certain circumstances, having the infected material removed from the pores under a local anesthetic may be suggested by your dermatologist; specialists never recommend the sufferer tries this themselves as it can cause permanent skin damage. Your doctor could prescribe a hormone-based treatment to treat your skin problem; hormone changes can be responsible for acne but hormone therapy can be very effective when used under prescription. Science has produced many effective treatments for this unkind condition.