Because everyone has acne blemishes at some time, everyone has a best acne blemish treatment to tell you about. There are so many treatment options available, some are far less effective than you’d like. How do you know if you should buy skin care products or just let it be?

It helps to know what is causing your acne. It all starts when your body reacts badly with testosterone. There are many things that make it worse, though none of them are dirt or chocolate. When the dead skin cells that are normally sloughed off from your pores come off too quickly or the pore is restricted, either the pore or the hair follicle may become blocked. Add some normally occurring skin bacteria, and you’ve got yourself a pimple, blackhead or cyst.

The best skin care products and strategies keep blemishes from forming in the first place. Sometimes it’s impossible to do anything about the causal agent, such as the hormonal changes of puberty, but there are always options for reducing the likelihood of blemish formation.

Anyone can start by reducing stress and eating a balanced diet. Sometimes this is all that’s required to put your skin back in balance. Some find relief from reducing their intake of dairy products, especially those containing bovine growth hormone. Some people find relief from regular exercise or steam treatments. Do not wash your face several times a day or use harsh soaps. Irritation is also a cause of acne breakouts.

The next best acne blemish treatments involve over the counter (OTC) remedies designed to stop excessive skin cell production or to mildly abrade the skin surface. Mild soaps and creams with benzoyl peroxide are commonly available and effective for many. Cotton pads soaked with a salicylic acid solution can also effective for blemish control. However, care must be taken with either of these chemical to keep the skin from becoming too irritated or dry. A judiciously applied moisturizer can help.

If your acne is very bad and is having an undue influence on your life, you’d better see a dermatologist, because only a doctor can hook you up with the heavy artillery. Very often, the best acne blemish treatment is either topical or oral antibiotics that are prescribed. Oral anti-biotic use can have negative side effects, so it’s usually used as a last resort for severe cystic acne or very widespread infections. Dramatic results are possible, but take several weeks to manifest. Oral medications also wear off more slowly.

Your physician may also prescribe some form of retinoid (a vitamin A derivative) such as Retin-A or Accutane. Both oral and topical types have been available for many years. Often there will be a terrible breakout in the first month of use before positive results are observed, however.

It is important with any method you choose that you stick with it and you may never need to know how to get rid of acne blemish problems again. Friends are fast to recommend the best acne blemish treatment, but check whether it’s right for you.