Acne Treatments that Clear Acne

If you’re determined to avoid over-the-counter acne medications, then you will undoubtedly try some ineffective acne treatments on your own. They won’t have any effect at all on your skin. Others, however, are quite dangerous. You should never use these dangerous acne treatments. Even if you don’t suffer any immediate side effects, you could develop problems over time.

Ineffective Home Acne Treatments

Many of the ineffective acne treatments that people try fall under the category of “home remedies”. Some of the common home cures for acne that you might hear include rubbing lemon juice on your face, sitting in the sun for a long time, and washing your face with vinegar.

The only effect that you will get from rubbing lemon juice on your face is a pleasant, citrusy smell. Aside from acting as a natural perfume, though, you can’t expect much out of lemon juice. The idea is that the citric acid will wash out the pores, leaving them clear and able to heal quickly. That’s a pretty good theory, but it doesn’t really work. One reason is that lemon juice contains a whole lot of sugar. Yes, you’re washing away dead skin cells with the acid, but your replacing them with loads of sugar. If you continue using this home remedy, you could actually cause harm to your skin. Repeated exposure to citric acid can cause chemical burns.

Using vinegar is as effective as lemon juice. It won’t help and you don’t even get the benefit of a pleasant aroma.

Sitting in the sun or visiting a sun tanning booth is the worst way to prevent acne. These ineffective acne treatments won’t clear your skin. In fact, they can irritate your skin, which causing your sweat glands to produce more oil that will clog your pores. The bigger problem, however, is that repeated exposure to the sun’s UV rays will increase the risk that you develop skin cancer in the future. Some people think that it’s okay as long as they don’t burn. That’s a myth that has already taken the lives of too many men and women.

Ineffective OTC Acne Treatments

Most home remedies are useless, but so are many of the over-the-counter products that you can buy at your local drug store. Acne treatment companies can make all kinds of claims without providing scientific evidence that proves they are effective. For instance, they might say that they contain advanced antibacterial or anti-aging ingredients when in fact they only have a tiny amount that will never provide any benefits.

When choosing OTC acne treatments, look for products that contain at least 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide is an extremely beneficial antibacterial that also has the ability to clean oil and dirt out of pores. Other useful products could include salicylic acid or sulfur. Before buying any of these acne treatments, make sure they can compare to the products made by companies like Proactiv, which offers kits specifically designed for certain types of skin.