Acne is indeed a bacteriological condition, but the bacteria is not the cause of acne, its simply a by-product of the condition.

If the bacteria doesn't actually cause your acne, what does?

Acne is caused when there is a sudden increase in production of the male sex hormone, Androgen. This hormone affects the skin's sebacious glands into producing more sebum, which is the skin's natural oily lubricant, which keeps the skin and hair protected. When the glands are forced to make too much of this sebum, the skin appears oily, and the pores become blocked and start to swell, producing spots and blemishes, which is when you get acne.

This sudden spike in hormone production is usually noticed during adolesence, which is why acne is common in teenagers.

However, stress and other factors can result in a rise of this hormone, which is why its possible for adults to get acne too.

So when these acne treatment creams and lotions are used, they do in fact kill the bacteria that is associated with acne, but they don't actually get rid of the acne. This leads people to believe that acne can't actually be cured, it is just something they have to live with.

Ultimately, the body will decide when to lower its androgen production, but there are ways to help. Simple lifestyle changes and dietary guidlines can be followed to help your body get rid of acne without rubbing any man-made chemicals into your skin.