Most people start treating acne by looking for an over the counter acne treatment before paying more money for prescriptions and dealing with some of the more serious side effects of prescription acne medication.

If you’re looking for over the counter acne treatment options, you’re at the right place.  Fortunately there are several options.  They are as follows:

1.  Kaolin

Kaolin is a little-known over the counter acne treatment that is definitely worth looking into.  Kaolin is an extract from clay that absorbs oil from your skin and cleans out bacteria at the same time.

Kaolin is particular good at cleansing skin and helping to reduce acne with bentone gel.

2.  Salicyclic acid

Salicylic acid is used to treat various conditions including acne.  Salicyclic acid acne treatment comes in thin pads soaked in the liquid medication.  I used this form of over the counter acne treatment the most during my adolescent years.  Actually, I used it even when I didn’t have outbreaks because it’s great for prevention as well.

Salicyclic acid breaks down blackheads and whiteheads.  Moreover, it prevents bacteria build up in your skin’s oil inside pores.  With less bacteria build up you are taking a preventative measure for your acne.

3.  Resorcinol

Fortunately resorcinol is an OTC acne treatment.  The way this treatment works is it breaks down hardened skin so that it can be removed from in and around follicle areas.  Once hardened skin is removed, it reduces clogging in the follicle which helps prevent acne.

Resorcinol is most effective for mild acne resulting from oily skin.  If you get the right resorcinol product, it also exfoliates for keeping skin clean.

4.  Alcohol and Acetone

Although not as effective (generally) as resorcinol and salicyclic acid, alcohol and acetone are still used to treat acne.

Alcohol cleans skin surfaces by functioning as an antibacterial.  It also removes oil from the skin.  The trouble with this over the counter acne treatment is that it doesn’t remove acne-causing oil from below the skin.  Therefore it efficacy is limited.

5.  Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl Peroxide is ideal for mild acne by removing bacteria on your skin and inside your skin.  It also removes dead skin cells.  Dead skin clogs skin’s pores which backs up oil and results in increased bacteria.  By keeping skin clean of dead skin cells, you can diminish your acne as well as prevent the onset of acne.

One advantage to using Benzoyl Peroxide is it doesn’t dry out skin too much as long as you don’t use it too much (in other words, follow the directions).

With respect to all OTC acne treatments mentioned above, it helps to read the directions before using.  Some treatments require that you clean your face with regular soap and water first.  There may also be contraindications (i.e. not to use with other medications).

As you can see, you have several over the counter acne treatment options to try before escalating the intensity of acne treatment with prescription medication.

Is there any point to look for remedies for pimples?  I suspect by now you are downright sick and tired about the emotional roller coaster ride seeking an acne cure involves.  How many products and pills and lotions and soaps and diets have you tried?  I bet a lot.

If you want me to skip to the chase and want to know the single product I suggest you take a look at for yourself – click here for a pimple remedy or here for a topical solution.

Still here?  I guess you want to know more about what I have to say.

Let me answer the original question about whether it’s worthwhile looking for remedies for pimples.  Yes it is.  Here’s why?

Whether you’re in your teens, twenties, thirties or older, acne can have a pretty devastating emotional effect on you – as long as you resist accepting your acne condition.

What do I mean about accepting your acne condition?

Embracing acceptance is a powerful solution to problems.  Acceptance nullifies problems – including acne – but it won’t get rid of your pimples.

So the question is:  Are you prepared to accept your acne or are you going to keep looking for an acne remedy?

Deciding to accept something as painful as suffering from acne is a big step.  The worst part is you may never actually succeed at accepting the condition.  If you cannot accept your condition, then you either suffer in silence or decide to doggedly pursue a remedy for your pimples.

I’m a health writer and publisher.  I write on several health topics, acne being one of them.  The types of treatments and products I like to direct readers to are those that offer a comprehensive and natural approach to treatment.  I don’t dismiss prescription drugs in all cases.  Besides, I suspect you’ve tried acne treatment drugs.  In my view, many treatments are merely band-aids.  They may work temporarily, but they don’t get to the root of the problem.  Most ailments, including acne, have an underlying condition that requires treatment from a variety of methods.

Acne No More is a remedy for pimples that:

• does not use drugs
• tells you the top 10 foods you should never eat
• tells you the top 10 foods you should eat plenty of
• is not another cream or ointment
• is designed to remedy all types of acne
• informs you about a natural hormonal balancing supplement that can improve your acne fast
• is applicable for acne in most bodily areas (face, back, shoulders, neck, or chest)
• may remedy severe acne
• teaches you to learn what is your particular acne trigger
• shows results within 7 days

So, are you going to accept your acne condition or are you going to doggedly pursue remedies for your acne?

Click Here for the Official “Acne No More” Website

or

Click here for a topical pimple remedy

What is mild to moderate acne?

When dealing with these levels you could have; whiteheads, blackheads, papules, and pustules. These are considered acne vulgaris, and severe cases will include nodules and cysts.

• Whiteheads- This is just trapped sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells. It’s due to the pore being blocked and the most common spot for these is around the nose. The good news is they clear up faster than blackheads.
• Blackheads- The only difference between these and whiteheads is that the pore is partially blocked. The reason for the color is because of the melanin reacting to oxygen in the air.
• Papules- These are those red, inflamed, and tender types of acne that have no heads. Instead they are just bumps.
• Pustules- This is your normal zit that happens to be inflamed, have red circles around it, and a white or yellow center.
• Nodules- The worst part about nodules is that they can last for months. They are bigger than any of the other types of acne above. They are also extremely painful and can easily leave you with scarring.
• Cysts- This is the biggest form of acne out there and offer 5mm of diameter. These are also painful and contain vast amounts of pus in them. They also leave scarring.

If you have mild acne, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mild problem. Most individuals suffering from this still spend a lot of time looking for a cure.

How is acne rosacea different from acne vulgaris?

The reason these two are usually confused is because of the similar appearance. Here are a few distinct characteristics of acne rosacea:

• red rash develops on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin
• bumps, pimples and skin blemishes accompanying the red rash
• visible blood vessels on the skin
• absence of blackhead

Anyone ages 30 and over are usually the sufferers of acne rosacea.

Understanding the severe types of acne

If you want us to go medical then look out for words like; acne conglobata, acne fulminans, gram-negative folliculitis, pyoderma faciale, or even rosacea fulminans. However, these are really rare, which is why you probably haven’t heard about most of them.

• Acne Conglobata- By far the most severe form, this issue offers several lesions that are big in size and are interconnected. The most notable spots you will find this form of acne is on the face, chest, back, upper arms, buttocks, or thighs. It can lead to scarring and disfiguring of the skin, and is more frequently found in males between the ages of 18-30.
• Acne Fulminans- There are several symptoms that can surface from acne fulminans. These include; nodulocystic and ulcerating acne, fever, and even aching joints. Young males can also end up with this as well.
• Gram-Negative Folliculitis- Unlike other types of acne, gram-negative folliculitis can develop due to complications from long term antibiotics used to treat acne vulgaris. Eventually a bacterial infection develops and pustules or cysts surface.
• Pyoderma Faciale- If you’re a woman between the ages of 20 and 40 you could end up with pyoderma faciale. These are large nodules, pustules, or sores that offer intense pain. The difference between pyoderma faciale and other types of acne is that it comes out of nowhere, even if the woman has never had a history of acne at all.

While it is true that in many cases the causes of acne are in fact normal hormonal fluctuations and excess oil being produced by the glands under the skin. There can also be a variety of other causes that have nothing to do with stress. This fact in no way undermines recent research proving that there is a connection between acne and stress.

While it is hotly debated whether acne and stress have a genuine cause and effect relationship, most would agree today that stress can cause already existing acne conditions to worsen. People who are able to control and limit their acne conditions routinely find that they have worse flare ups that are more difficult to control when they are under a lot of stress in their daily life.

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Some people who do not typically suffer from acne have also reported that they have outbreaks when intense stress hits their life. This obviously points in the direction of a very clear connection between acne and stress.

The Stress and Hormone Connection

Two things happen inside the body when you are under intense stress:

1. Adrenal glands produce more norepinephrine, epinephrine and cortisol.

2. Adrenal cortex increases production of male hormones.

These happen to be the same hormones that are responsible for teenagers and pregnant women experiencing the oily skin and seemingly uncontrollable pimples of every shape, size and type. The excess hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands which are located right underneath the skin. These glands begin to put out excess oil which clogs the pores and causes the dreadful whiteheads and blackheads everyone hates.

Since stress stimulates the process of production excess hormones which leads to excess oil production, it is clear that there is a relationship between acne and stress. This is why stress can worsen existing acne conditions and create acne in people who have never previously had a problem with it.

The Stress and Food Connection

Another connection between acne and stress could be found in the way dietary habits change during periods of intense stress. People under a lot of stress typically indulge in more comfort foods which tend to be greasy and loaded with sugar. Since there is a clear connection between the foods that go into the body and the amount and type of acne that comes out of the body, it is very likely that stress could stimulate or worsen acne in this manner as well.

Stress Management = Acne Management?

Now that the connection between acne and stress has been explored and it is understood what happens inside the body to create that connection, it may seem like getting rid of acne is as simple as getting rid of the stress. There are two problems with this reasoning:

1. Completely relieving stress is incredibly hard and for many people is entirely impossible.

2. Since there are many other potential causes of acne, living a completely stress-free life wouldn’t necessarily eliminate all acne flare ups for all people.

What should be obvious here is that the connection between acne and stress is not always a connection of cause and effect. Many people suffer from acne regardless of the stress in their life and for them stress is just making the problem even worse. For some people relieving stress can relieve acne, but it doesn’t work that way for everyone.

What everyone can do is try to manage stress to ensure that it doesn’t intensify an acne condition being caused by other things. Doing this can bring great improvements in an acne condition and will make it a bit easier to manage.

Some methods proven to help relieve stress include:

• Performing Pilates, yoga or other forms of exercise that engage the mind and body simultaneously on a regular basis.
• Working out in any manner on a consistent basis.
• Having someone safe to talk problems through with, rather than eating away your feelings.
• Meditation.
• Calming herbs.

If you suffer from acne and believe that stress may be a contributing or worsening factor, make a list of all sources of stress in you life and eliminate as many of them as you can outright. Use exercise, meditation and a healthy eating pattern to help with the remaining stress.

There are likely several factors coming into play that cause your acne.  I know that’s frustrating – there’s no single cause to nullify to treat your acne. In a nutshell pimples are caused by one or all of the following: skin bacteria, stress, dieting, or even genetics; each one can play a major role.

What are pimples?

In a nutshell:  Acne is simply a disorder that involves the skin’s hair, hair follicle, and sebaceous gland. These all come together to comprise one unit called; pilosebaceous unit. It’s the main reason you never see pimples on the palms, soles, or top of the feet and lips. All of these areas do not have a pilosebaceous unit.  Okay, a little technical.

The true acne causes out there are when one of these units gets clogged and an overproduction of oil is present. This is known as sebum, which is necessary to moisturize your skin and hair. Unfortunately if more is made than the skin can handle it will help contribute to acne growth.

It’s also possible that the problem will occur due to abnormal flaking of the cells in the hair follicle. These acne causes revolve around the plug enlarging and eventually rupturing the hair follicle. Once the oil and dead cells are split into the skin it can create acne manifestations. It’s possible you will see redness and swelling.

Acne and Hormones

Pimple causes also revolve around hormones. You might have heard of androgen before, but if not it is the primary cause of acne in teenagers. What happens is it enlarges the sebaceous glands and causes an oil production increase. Any excess sebum then creates a plug that traps the dead cells. Consider it as food for the bacteria to thrive upon. When puberty begins you will see androgen levels surge, but they begin to subside by the age of 20.

Pimples and Bacteria

When bacteria lives on the skin is can contribute to propionibacterium acne. This is where the bacteria feeds on the sebum. Follicles will also be increasing during puberty, which can make the sebum production at its highest level. This in turn creates a chain of natural biological responses. The end result is acne.

Acne and Stress

Now, I know you’ve been told that stress is one of the major pimple causes out there today. Basically because it only aggravates the symptoms you seem to be dealing with every day. It could be something like a lack of sleep, a hectic lifestyle, work that is overly demanding, smoking, drugs, or a number of other issues. This occurs after the stress overworks our adrenal glands. The body gets overloaded with hormones (which includes androgen), which increases the production of sebum. Again, this will cause plugs and lead to clogged pores. When this happens you end up with whiteheads, inflammation, swelling, and tons of other appearances common with acne.

Acne and Food

Then of course you can’t forget about food. Even though the research continues, there is no complete diet that will alleviate acne causes. While this is true, someone telling you that fatty foods like peanuts or chocolate are 2 acne causes is simply a myth. The idea here is to eat the right foods your body needs and you will see a positive and preventable reaction. A great example of this is Omega-3 fats. Since this is considered an anti-inflammatory agent, it can help when the inflammation of acne occurs. It’s also important to understand that if you have the right diet you can eliminate your stress, which in turn will promote normal hormone production and alleviate the issues that encourage acne causes.

Acne and Genetic Factor

The last possibility to your acne causes could be simple genetics.  The genetic cause is frustrating because what can you do about it?  Fortunately, acne remedies can help even if genetics is the culprit.

My Causes of Acne video: