Before you buy any acne treatment product you should take the following into consideration: - Know your skin type. People with oily skin should choose a gel based product, those with dry skin should choose a cream. If you are like most people and have combination skin, choose the product that best works with the afflicted area. If your acne flares up in the oily spots, choose a gel, if it is the dry skin that gets the zits, choose a cream.
- The more sensitive your skin, the lower concentration of active ingredient you will need. Choosing a product that is too strong could actually make the situation worse by over drying the area and causing the skin to react by increasing oil production. This can end up causing more acne. If you have sensitive skin, stick with the milder formulations.
- Some mild creams can be used as a preventative measure, but most acne creams are too harsh to be used before you see or feel a zit. Read the lables carefully and only apply the medication to places that are acne prone or actually have acne present.
- If the acne is excessively painful, or if it becomes painful after trying an OTC product, try taking an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen and get to a doctor ASAP.
- If your skin has large pustules that appear in clusters, if they are painful, if your acne causes scars, or if you can't seem to get rid of a blemish (it starts to go away only to reappear just when you thought it was gone), your acne may require treatment by a doctor.
sassy
