Bars, creams, cleansers, moisturizers and so on how many just how many acne treatments do you need? Mild to moderate acne can usually be remedied by twice daily cleanse, tone and moisturize, the rest is just advertising fluff.

Clear skin starts with a good twice daily acne treatment regimen. A good gentile oil-free cleanser like Neutrogena oil-free cleanser starts the process. Washing that frequently you don't need any acne treatment in the soap. The toning/ medication step is where most acne treatment products come in.

Every over the counter acne treatments have one (or a combination) of four active ingredients- the rest is just packaging. Benzoyl peroxide is one of the best medications for acne. It is rough on the skin and you MUST moisturize after use. Bp works by getting into the pore, and creating oxygen bubbles in reaction to the toxins in them. These bubbles kill the bacteria that cause acne. Products are offered in various dilutions; 2.5% is best. Clear Skin Regimen Gel, Neutrogena On-the-Spot, Clearasil, Oxy-10 Fostex, Clear by Design, and Persa-Gel all use bp. The Proactiv system also uses a 2.5% dilution of BP.

A special aside about the Proactiv system- it is the most heavily advertised acne treatment regimen in the world. Is it a total cure? No. But as most acne can be remedied with a good twice daily regimen, it does work well. It uses a gentile cleanser, a 2.5% bp medication and a good moisturizer. It also costs twenty dollars a month and signs you up for a subscription service for the product when you purchase it. The truth is that a good system will work, and if you need a subscription to send you your system to keep you using it twice daily, then do so.

Salicylic acid gets under your skin and dissolves whiteheads and blackheads. Acne treatments like Stri-dex, Clearasil Clearstick, Oxy Night Watch all use this as their active ingredient. It is more gentile on your skin than Benzoyl Peroxide, but also not as highly rated as BP. Know your skin's sensitivity. BP will be hard on your skin for the first two weeks; Salicylic Acid has mild skin irritation factors too. Consult your dermatologist if you have any question about your allergies or the right acne treatment for your specific skin type.

Sulfur & Resorcinol is an older acne treatment. Sulfur alone has been used for over a hundred years as an acne treatment. Clearasil Adult Care is the leading product with these active ingredients. There have been many complaints about the smell, some say it over dries, works wonders for a few individuals. The last step in acne treatment is a good moisturizer that is oil free, non-comedogenic, perfume and fragrance free; all of these things are irritants and can cause further breakouts.

Feel energized and ready to take on that acne treatment aisle? Just keep your eye out for the right ingredients and dilutions; and don't be fooled by expensive packaging and advertising. Also, if you find a basic regimen is not enough, contact a dermatologist for a regimen tailored for you.