How to Treat Acne With Over-the-Counter Products

Treating acne with over-the-counter products takes a little bit of research to be sure are you are purchasing a product that has the potential to really help heal the acne. It is also important to determine the severity and cause of your acne, because the success of the treatment depends on choosing the right product. Read on to learn how to determine the severity of your acne, and then choose the appropriate over-the-counter treatment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Acne medication

Degree of Acne Severity

1. Determine whether you have a mild acne problem. A mild case of acne is characterized by small lesions such as blackheads, whiteheads or pustules on or near the surface of the skin.
2. Determine whether you have a moderate acne problem. Your case of acne is moderate in degree if the lesions on the skin are red or reddish, which may signal an infection. This redness must be obvious for an extended period of time, with increasing outbreaks or lesions.
3. Determine whether your acne problem is severe. Your case of acne is severe if your lesions are nodules that are much larger than mild to moderate blemishes, and look like large, hard bumps under the skin. Nodules are usually very painful, and can last for months at a time. Another characteristic of severe acne is the presence of cysts, which look like pus-filled nodules that are usually about 1/5-inch in diameter. Cysts can result in scarring and are very painful.

Causes of Acne

4. Determine whether your acne is caused by propionibacterium (P. acnes), which is a common skin bacteria that multiplies rapidly in clogged hair follicles where sebum (an oily substance produced by sebaceous glands) is secreted.
5. Determine whether your acne is caused by abnormal skin shedding.
6. Determine if you have a family history of acne.

Treatment Strategies

7. Select benzoyl peroxide if the cause of your acne is related to bacteria buildup in your pores.
8. Select salicylic acid if the acne is related to skin shedding.
9. Select products with salicylic acid if you have noninflammatory lesions, because it helps correct the abnormal amount of shedding skin cells and unclogs pores.
   
   
10. Select an acne gel or solution if you have oily skin.
11. Select an acne cream product if you have sensitive or dry skin.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult with a physician if you have nodules and cysts, if these lesions are on your face, neck, chest and shoulders, if there is a great deal of pain associated with the lesions, and if over-the-counter products have not been successful.
• Consult with a physician if there is a history of severe acne and scarring in your family.
• Wash your face gently at least twice a day with a mild cleanser and pat the cleansed area dry. But remember that acne is not caused by poor hygiene; vigorous washing will not fix the problem, and instead may make it worse.
• When buying makeup and toiletries, be sure to choose noncomedogenic (does not clog pores) products.
• Do not squeeze, pick or pop your lesions, as this will very likely make the situation worse by spreading the inflammation to other lesions and sores in the area. There may be a time when it is necessary to remove a severe acne lesion, but this should be done by a physician.
• Always use over-the-counter and prescription medications as directed—using more product will not produce faster or quicker results.