Is it possible to find an effective non-prescription acne treatment? The answer actually depends on the type of acne that you have. Most of the common forms of acne can, in fact, be treated as effectively with non-prescription products as they could with those from a doctor or dermatologist. The major exception is if your acne is caused by a bacterial infection, in which case you are likely to need a prescription antibiotic. Otherwise, however, acne is most often caused by your body's own sebum (oil) production. You need some oil to protect your skin, but when you have too much, it clogs your pores and causes whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples. Whiteheads most often plague those with dry skin. When dead, dry cells stay on the surface, oil and dirt get trapped beneath them in the pores. Blackheads are more common for those with oily skin. Oil and dirt are again trapped in the pores, but since the pores ore open, oxygen causes a reaction that turns the clogged material the dark color we identify with blackheads. The most important aspects of an acne treatment are a liquid soap with an antibacterial component, a cream to reduce oil, and an anti-inflammatory to reduce the redness and swelling of pimples. Liquid soap is preferable to bar soap because the very component of soap that makes it cohere in a bar means that it's likely to stick in your pores and actually make problems worse. You should also look for products with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, the two ingredients that are most common and successful in treating the majority of cases of moderate acne.
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