I have acne. Which acne treatment should I use?

Not all acne treatments are created equal. After all, when it comes to acne breakouts there are plenty of factors involved – from hygiene to hormones to genetics – which can both lead to and exacerbate your acne issues. Every type of acne is different and requires its own particular plan of attack. Once you’ve figured out what you’re working with, your acne problems become much easier to treat. Below is a guide to help you identify what kind of acne you’ve got and the best kinds of products to deal with it.

Table of Contents

Hormonal Acne

What You’re Seeing: A sudden sprinkling of zits around your chin and jawline.

What’s Going On: Hormonal Acne most commonly appears in puberty, it’s also a problem that’s commonly found in adult women aged 20 to 40. As you might have guessed from the name, this type of acne is linked to the hormone levels in your body.

During puberty, hormonal acne tends to appear in the T-zone. This includes your forehead, nose, and chin. Among adults, acne typically forms on the lower part of your face – around your jawline and bottom of your cheeks. Hormonal acne is more likely to appear during periods of hormonal fluctuations such as during your menstrual or menopausal cycles. Having excess hormones in your body can cause oil production to go into overdrive, causing blackheads, zits, and other signs of acne to appear.

How to Handle it: Stock up on the two best known acne-fighting ingredients – salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide – in the week leading up to your period. This combo can help prevent hormonal acne from happening in the first place. Try using a salicylic acid wash such as the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser alongside a benozoyl peroxide spot treatment like Murad Blemish Clearing Solution. If you’re still seeing zits, pay a visit to your dermtologist to discuss prescription option such as birth control pill, oral spironolactone, or topical Aczone 7.5 percent gel.

Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser

The dermatologist recommended acne-fighting cleanser-Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash now comes with an uplifting blast of pink grapefruit! With maximum strength Salicylic Acid acne medicine boosted by MicroClear® technology, Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash powerfully treats and helps prevent breakouts—even blackheads. This unique formula contains naturally derived grapefruit extract plus vitamin C. It eliminates oil and dirt, and rinses clean without over-drying.

Murad Blemish Clearing Solution

This powerful formula swiftly treats breakouts, blemishes, and redness while restoring skin clarity and treating the underlying causes of acne to prevent future breakouts.

Inflammatory Acne – Papules

What You’re Seeing: Patches of small, red zits that don’t come to a head.

What’s Going On: Papules are a type of inflammatory acne caused by the bacteria p. acnes. The growth of this bacteria on the skin promotes inflammation, creating acne bumps that are red and tender.

How to Handle it: Benzoyl Peroxide is your friend here because it kills acne causing bacteria and reduces inflammation on your skin. Try La Roche-Posay Effaclar DUO+ Corrective Unclogging Care which not only reduces bacteria but also exfoliates using its lipo-hydroxy acid. Be careful, though – this product can dry out your skin, so make sure to moisturize well after using it.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar DUO+ Corrective Unclogging Care

La Roche-Posay Effaclar DUO [+] is a comprehensive treatment for acne, with enhanced effectiveness of combat acne blemishes, thanks to the unique active ingredient Ceramide Procerad. The cream is ideal for acne-prone, oily skin with persistent imperfections and clogged pores. Product is not comedogenic and hypoallergenic. It contains no parabens. It was created to minimize the risk of allergic reactions in people who are allergic to nickel. After 24 hours: imperfections are less visible. After 8 days: the imperfections are significantly reduced. After 4 weeks: pores are unlocked, the surface of the skin is smoothed, excess of sebum and shine reduced.

Cystic Acne

What You’re Seeing: Large, deep, red pimples that are spread across your face. Cystic acne is a severe form of acne that is usually embedded deep in your skin and feels painfully sensitive to touch.

What’s Going On: Cystic acne is caused by a combination of genetics and hormonal stimulation of oil glands. It happens when an infection goes deep into your skin, creating a red, tender bump that’s filled with nasty pus. If a cyst bursts, the infection can spread, causing more breakouts. Cystic Acne is not only embarassingly obvious but also notoriously tough to treat – even if you get rid of one, it can keep filling up with oil again and again, which is why they often recur in the same place. Worst of all, if not treated properly Cystic Acne can leave permanant, unslightly scars on your face.

How to Handle it: Whatever you do – don’t try to pop it. Unfortunately, the usual anti-acne ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide may not be as effective as you’d hope. For severe cases, you should contact your dermatologist who might give you a cortisone injection or oral medication in addition to topical formulas. In the meantime, try using cleansers such as Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser to prevent the breakouts from occuring in the first place.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser

Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser is an effective yet gentle acne treatment.

This oil-free formula gently cleanses deep down into pores for clear skin. Unlike ordinary cleansers, it contains Salicylic Acid to get rid of acne you have now and help prevent future breakouts. Special skin soothers help prevent irritation and overdrying. Skin is left clean, without a heavy residue—and never oily.

Blackheads

What You’re Seeing: Tiny black dots on your skin that seem to appear in the pores of your face or neck.

What’s Going On: Blackheads are a type of comedo which occers when the pores in your skin get plugged by dead skin cells and an oily, protective substance known as sebum. The top of the blackhead turns black due to oxidation. You’ll often see blackheads on the nose since the pores there tend to be larger and oilier then the others on your face.

How to Handle it: Fortunately, blackheads are a relatively mild form of acne. You can deal with blackheads at home by using products such as MILATTE Fashiony Blackhead Remover Deep Cleansing Pore Strips to extract built up dirt and oil from your pores. Simply apply the cleansing pore strips regularly and your blackheads will soon be a thing of the past.

MILATTE Fashiony Blackhead Remover Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

Unclogs pores & achieves the deepest clean. Clean and invigorate your pores with these deep cleansing pore strips. Three easy-to-use strips will help extract built-up dirt and oil from your pores that can cause blackheads, leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean. Hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, so they can be used even by those with sensitive skin.