So Many Acne Skin Care Treatment Products, So Little Time

Acne can be such a spoilsport, cropping up just before a big date or even traumatizing an adult who thinks their adolescence is coming back to haunt them. The good news is that there are many different skin care treatment products on the market these days so you have more options than you might have ten or more years ago.

So how do you choose the right skin care treatment products that would best suit your acne problem and condition of your skin. The key is evaluating the overall skin condition where the acne is prominent because these products are not a one size fits all. Some people with dry skin develop acne while others seem to be a veritable oil factory with their skin working overtime to produce sebum which easily clogs the pores.

Understanding the Ingredients

Reading the ingredients on some of the acne skin care treatment products these days is comparable to reading hieroglyphics. What do all of those chemical sounding names mean and what exactly do they do. Benzoyl peroxide works to kill the bacteria that causes acne and will also work to dissolve clogged pores as well.

Glycolic and salicylic acid both are found in acne skin care treatment products and they work to slough off dead skin cells to avoid pores from clogging and turning into a bacteria breeding ground. These two ingredients often turn up in over the counter acne medications. Topical retinoids work to strengthen the follicles on the skin as well as prevent too much build-up of sebum.

Balancing the Ingredient Skin Reactions

The acne fighting ingredients are only as good as the secondary, but equally important ingredients in these acne skin care treatment products. For instance, benzoyl peroxide may kill bacteria but it can also be very drying to your skin which could make your skin break out. Therefore, any acne skin care treatment products with benzoyl peroxide should also contain a non-comedogenic moisturizing product that will treat dry skin.

Many doctors will prescribe a combination of acne skin care treatment products, a sort of skin cocktail, to level out the oil production of your skin as well as treat the existing acne. Often times, it takes a two, three or four pronged approaches to find the right balance that works best for your skin. This process of trying different acne skin care treatment products can be maddening.

Your best option in caring for your skin blemishes is to talk with your dermatologist as they can help guide you to the proper balance of acne skin care treatment products. In addition, be your own advocate as well and read the ingredient labels because after a bit of trial and error, you can get a basic understanding of which ingredients work and which ones dont.