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Acne can really become a self-esteem issue when it is more than an occasional breakout.

There are many acne products on the market because our skin is such an important component of every womans daily beauty regimen.

While a vast array of product lines ultimately benefits all of us as consumers, finding the right acne products however, in a sea of similar and often confusing claims, ingredients and "promises" can be just as frustrating as the acne itself.

Invariably - the question that I get the most in my interaction with clients is -"What is the best Acne Product on the Market today$%:"

Of course with all skin care products there are the expensive product lines, as well as the local drug store brands to consider. Most of the women that I meet tend to believe the quality of the product is proportional to the price..:-(

As a licensed Esthetician, and a woman who has had her own Acne problems to overcome, I can tell you from first hand experience of both the personal and professional variety that this is simply untrue.

The price of a product usually doesn't have much to do with its effectiveness. There are very expensive products that won't work for your acne condition, just as there are inexpensive products that will.

It is really that simple.

It is also very possible that what works for most wont work for you. So it really becomes a trial and error situation, where you have to experiment with the best solution for you, your skin type and what feels best on your face.

As a general rule, I tend to advise friends, family and clients to follow the following three stage outline in combating their Acne:

(Ex: if stage 1 doesn't work for you move on to stage 2, etc.)

RECOMMENDED ACNE PRODUCTS - 1:

I recommend starting off with acne products found at your local drugstore. Any product containing Salicylic Acid and/or Benzyl Peroxide are definitely a good place to start.

Salicylic acid exfoliates the top layer of skin and decongests the skin which causes acne. Benzyl Peroxide destroys the bacteria which causes acne.

For spot treating acne, Oxy and Clearasil are great products. Be careful however not to overuse these products, they will dry the skin if overused.

You will find various brands of acne products containing cleansers, toners, moisturizers etc. At first you shouldn't need to buy the entire line of products -usually a cleanser and mask is sufficient - but do be careful of other products you put on your face - makeup especially can clog pores. This can make any acne product useless if you're just doing the opposite with another face product. Make sure everything that you apply to your face is non-comedogenic.

These products are even recommended by some dermatologists for cleansing acneic skin because they won't cause excess oil and are very gentle to the skin.

RECOMMENDED ACNE PRODUCTS - Stage 2

if the previous acne products don't offer the acne relief that you seek. The next step recommended would be to order products from the internet. There are probably too many online sites selling acne products. Again, this can be a confusing and a time consuming search. Therefore I recommend starting with the most popular and probably the most effective acne product on the web - Proactive Solution.

Proactive even has national ads running with well known celebrities promoting its effectiveness. While ordinarily that wouldn't do much to impress me, I have had clients and friends who have used Proactive Solution and I do believe in its effectiveness. However, you must use the 3 step system every day in order to benefit from this acne product.

Obagi is another popular acne product that is generally prescribed by dermatologists but can be purchased online.

RECOMMENDED ACNE PRODUCTS - Stage 3:

Because not every person's acne is caused by the same condition (heredity, stress, hormones, etc) it is very possible that even Proactive Solution won't do as advertised for your skin.

For individuals with severe acne a visit to a dermatologist may be the next step. A doctor can prescribe various acne creams. The most popular being Retin A. Retin A can cause severe dryness and redness to the skin, but this is something the dermatologist will go over before prescribing. DO not go out for some "fun in the sun" while using Retin A as you WILL regret it..;-) Because it increases your skin's sensitivity to ultra-violet rays - you will find yourself with potentially very painful sunburn if you do not heed this warning. And while a little bit of sun is a good thing for your overall wellness - we are already well aware of its deleterious effects on our skin.

When no topical cream works - the final step will be an oral medication to fight the bacteria internally which would be prescribed by a Physician.

AND -

GOOD LUCK! If you just put forth the effort, time and research, you CAN and WILL overcome your acne.