Best Off-The-Shelf Acne Treatments That Really Help
Let us help you find the best treatment against Acne between the several off-the-shelf medicals and chemicals like alcohol.
Long ago, there were very few medically-based treatments anyone can get a hold of to treat an acne condition. Much of what was used in the past were suspect remedies, from arsenic to toothpaste.
Nowadays, dozens of acne medications appear lined up across drugstore shelves battling for attention. Skin care is a billion-dollar industry and competitors are growing by the day. Some are truly excellent and produce results that improve the lives of countless people worldwide. Of course, a few will be disappointing and produce results that are less than advertised.
Each medication's ability to help you will be different, however. One product can work well for some but wreak further havoc on others. You will need to arm yourself with a little knowledge and exercise good judgment when trying to find what treatment is best suited for your acne and particular skin type.
Alcohol-based Treatments
These include astringents and similar products widely-used on people with oily skin. On the upside, their form allows them to cover large areas of skin pretty easily, making them a cost-effective economical choice. On the downside, alcohol-based acne medications tend to evaporate rather fast which might require more frequent application.
They can also dry skin severely and will be very irritating for many skin types. Unless you have naturally oily skin, steering clear of alcohol-based preparations, regardless of their brand, is a good idea.
Water-based Remedies
Water-based solutions look and work the same as their alcohol-based counterparts. They are usually less-concentrated, however, resulting in less drying and irritation for your skin. If you have normal to dry skin, opt for a water-based formula to substitute for any alcohol-based solution you may be using.
Creams
Cream-based medications absorb into skin quickly and are a popular choice among patients with normal to oily skin. They can prove irritating for some people with dry skin.
Foams
Acne medicines in foam-base are usually more expensive but prove easier to spread in normally difficult areas with acne such as hairy chests and backs.
Gels
Traditionally recommended for normal to oily skin, gels can now be used by dry-skinned individuals if the preparation contains emollients that diminish the form's natural drying effects.
Cleansers & Scrubs
Much of the acne-healing effects of cleansers, washes and scrubs can be easily discounted by the fact that they are washed off the skin in almost no time. While they may contain active ingredients that do help acne, it makes more sense to look at them as cleaning agents and nothing else. Leave the medicating to substances that can actually stay and act on the skin.
Medical Contents
Most acne medication will contain similar ingredients. Try looking at several on a drugstore and you'll see much of the same active compounds: benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur, resorcinol and a few others.
If you are self-medicating and can not decide which products to get, benzoyl peroxide is the sensible first choice regardless of what kind of acne you have. If you have primarily blackheads and whiteheads, using it at the same time as a medicine with salicylic acid in it will be a good system. Some packages will contain both.
Various other active ingredients exist in the market such as retinol and glycolic acid. Your best option to find the most suitable choice will be to have your acne examined by a dermatologist.