It wasn't that long ago when acne (Zits) was considered a curse for the many individuals that suffer from this problem; however, many effective treatments are available. It is one of those areas where research has continued to make advancements; recent medical advancements are, in fact, proving to be very effective in treating this condition. Despite the number of acne skin care products currently available on the market, they are broadly categorized into three distinctly separate groups: <UL TYPE="square"> *Drugstore or Internet: Preventative medication *Over-the-counter: Treatment *Prescription only: From a doctor or dermatologist for more serious conditions </UL

Many skin care products are used as a measure to prevent acne; 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. Other acne skin care products, like skin cleansers for instance, are more specific about their job; they ensure the facial pores (and other areas) remain free of oil. These products prevent the oil from getting trapped in pores and can hamper the growth of bacteria, this can lead to the bad skin condition.

This type of skin care treatment also includes those which exfoliate such as skin peels; there is now a variety of this type of product available over the counter. The peels clean the skin by removing all surface pollution and dead skin cells which can block the pores. Many other acne skin care products have become available over the counter and on the internet; they don't usually require a prescription. These formulations contain the chemical benzoyl peroxide and the naturally occurring salicylic acid; these ingredients are used to remove the additional oil in the pores of the skin.

It is often a good idea to start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5 percent) to see how the skin responds; should a reaction occur, products containing alpha hydroxy acid are generally safer. Because we all have different types of skin, more than one type of acne skin care product may need to be tried; if none of them work then you would be advised to contact your skin specialist. Products that your dermatologist or doctor will recommend will only be available on prescription, they may include a course of antibiotics or topical ointments.

In more serious cases your skin care specialist may decide that a small surgical procedure can be used to remove the oil and infection from your pores; although this is a minor procedure, if it were performed by the person themselves it could result in 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. Positive research means that a sufferer does not have to put up with this condition anymore.