Treating Acne With Over the Counter Solutions
September 20, 2008There are literally thousands of products out there to treat acne, and an overwhelming large percentage of these products are available over the counter, meaning they don’t require prescriptions, in drugs stores, supermarkets, on the Internet, and many other places that are just a grasp away. Everybody has different skin, therefor, not one product will work for everyone, despite what the companies that makes these products would lead you to believe.
Acne Products Benzoyl Peroxide
The most common over the counter treatments of acne are topical application. These are your scrubs, masks, foams, and more. Basically these are anything that you apply directly to the skin, as opposed to oral solution, which are taken by mouth. Most of these products contain benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid, or a combination of the two. Everyone’s skin reacts differently to these active ingredients. Some may work for you while others may worsen your acne, and vice versa for the next person.
Since most over the counter treatments contain the same essential active ingredients, don’t be fooled into paying more for brand name products. Take a look at the active ingredients of a brand name product as well as the generic version. You shouldn’t be surprised to find that many of them contain nearly the exact same active ingredients.
Remember, no product (prescription or over the counter) will work overnight. Before you start passing from on product to another, give the acne product some time to work. I generally recommend people give a product at least a couple months before they declare the product ineffective.
What to know about using Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide works for most cases of acne, especially among those in the beginning stages of acne. Those that constantly have blackheads and whiteheads popping up should consider using a product that also contains salicylic acid. Benzoyl peroxide helps clear the skin by pealing away dead skin cells that block the pores and follicles. It also aids in the prevention of inflammatory lesions and scarring. It works as a preventative measure, as well as a way to treat current outbreaks of acne.
If you decide to make use of benzoyl peroxide based products, avoid soaps and scrubs as they aren’t nearly as effective as creams and lotions.
Using Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid alone doesn’t have much of an effect on acne. But is used in combination with benzoyl peroxide, as it aids the skin in absorbing the benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, and other active ingredients found in acne products. Salicylic acid may not be strong in over the counter products, but in prescription products, where higher concentrations are allowed, you may find it to be more effective. Again creams, lotions, and pads are the most effective applications of salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid is a perfect solution for those just beginning to show signs of acne. It is a very mild treatment despite what the name may have you thinking. This makes it perfect for children who generally have sensitive skin.
Avoid using acne soaps, cleansing strips, and all those other products that claim to clean your skin and nothing else. Cleaning your skin rigorously may seem like a common sense move, but most of these products do absolutely nothing for your acne. Rather, they just irritate the skin more causing even more pimples and breakouts.
Going All-Natural For Acne
The problem with the chemicals above is that they can be very harsh on the skin, and in some cases it can turn acne worse, or at the very least cause a bad reaction in some people. If you are looking for an all-natural acne product, there are many out there. We recommend ZENMED.
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Tags: acne, acne products, benzoyl peroxide, brand name products, salicylic acid, topical application
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