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Over the counter acne treatments tend to have chemicals that some people choose to avoid. Instead, these people try home solutions or more natural acne treatments. Others don't believe that home remedies are powerful enough to fight stubborn acne. These people search for more powerful acne medication. Here are some tips and information so you can decide what is right for you to become acne free.

At Home Acne Treatments

There are various home treatments that are effective. Here are some tips in home acne treatments.

*Massage essential oils into your skin at night such as Tea Tree Oil, Bergamot Oil, Clove Oil, Lavender Oil, and Rosewood Oil. Cleanse your face in the morning with pure soap and water.

*Acne begins beneath the surface of your skin. Therefore, it is imperative that you drink plenty of water to detoxify your body and clear your skin.

*You can exfoliate and clear pores with an oatmeal mask once or twice a week. Cook some oatmeal and apply the mask while the oatmeal is warm, wait for it to dry and then wash it away.

There are many at home treatments for acne, some of which work and some which don't work. Those with more serious cases of acne however, such as cystic acne, usually turn to stronger over the counter acne treatments.

Over the Counter Acne Treatments

Over the counter acne products tend to be more powerful in fighting acne because each product works differently to target causes of acne. Some products control inflammation by killing off the bacteria that cause it, Prionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes. Other acne products help reduce sebum output or speed up the growth of new skin cells and removal of dead skin cells. Some products work by doing a combination of these things.

Acne medication treatments function differently depending on their active ingredient. Here are some common active ingredients found in acne products.

*Benzoyl Peroxide is very effective as it kills P. acnes as well as removes excess oil and dead skin cells that clog pores. It is available in different strengths that come in products in certain percentages.

*Salicylic Acid prevents pores from clogging by slowing the process of skin cell shed within hair follicles. It also breaks down whiteheads and blackheads.

*Alcohol and acetone come in astringents and cleansers. They remove dirt and oils.

These medications might be more powerful in treating acne but they often come with more side effects such as dryness, sensitivity to sun, stinging or irritation, redness or peeling.

Now there are many natural options available that offer strong results while evading negative side effects. The top acne treatments is a strong but organic acne cream which is a perfect compromise between gentle home remedies that don't show results and powerful but irritating over the counter products.