Any normal teenager (and in some cases adults) all over the world are likely to suffer from a common ailment. Irrespective of their backgrounds, irrespective of their social standing and even irrespective of their race or nationality, they all have one common enemy. And this enemy goes by the much dreaded name of acne. While acne is a normal and natural part of growing up, most youngsters detest the very sight and feel of acne. Especially at an age when external appearance takes precedence over anything else, they feel confused, horrified and in some serious cases, even disturbed by the acne.

Fortunately, the ever greedy pharmaceutical companies have not been laggardly in spotting this malady as an exceptional source of profit. Which explains the numbers and range of the acne creams that flood every supermarket and pharmacy shelf. This is no exaggeration. Get in to the nearest pharmacy and see for yourself. I would not be surprised if you found an entire section dedicated to acne creams. In fact, more than any other course of treatment, acne creams are viewed and accepted as the most popular acne treatment. And the most common over the counter acne treatments continue to be acne creams. But have you ever wondered why acne creams continue to be so popular? Well I have. And in a bid to find an answer, turned to human psychology. According to most people (and you can test this for yourself!) the most commonly attributed cause for acne is poor hygiene. Although this is not true, most people continue to wash their faces day in and day out, oblivious to the damage they are causing themselves. And what aids washing faces best? Acne creams of course. Not only do these creams seem to be doing a good job or removing the acne, they also, psychologically, indicate to the user that they are helping keep the skin hygienic. So, more and more teenagers and even a few older people continue to buy and stock up on acne creams in the mistaken belief that these acne creams are helping them.

In most cases, acne creams don't do any harm, even though they may not actually be helpful in getting rid of the acne. But care must be taken to ensure that any acne cream used should be free of oil and sunscreens. All acne creams should also be free of comedogenic elements in order to be helpful. And finally, all purported acne creams should at least be manufactured by a credible and dependable manufacturer in order to ensure that even if they provide no benefit, they should at least bring on no further harm!