One of the most irritating things that could happen to a boy or a girl in puberty stage is to have acne. This chronic inflammation of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands cause black heads, pimples, lesions and in some cases, cysts, infected blisters and scars to appear especially on the face. Acne may also affect the shoulders, the chest, the back and the upper part of the arms.

There are many known causes of acne; among them are hormonal changes in the body, stress, hyperactive sebaceous glands and bacteria. Whichever of these symptoms causes one's acne; surely, the person doesn't like having this skin condition. Aside from its unsightly effects, especially on the face, it also lowers one's level confidence. For many adolescents, acne even causes depression and insecurity. Thus, for anyone affected by this skin disease, the first thing he would want to do is to get rid of it.

Acne treatment is not a very big problem because there are different kinds of treatments available. However, not all are scientifically proven to be effective. Nevertheless people's experiences with these products have made these acne treatments so popular. In many cases, combining two or more acne treatments reduces severity of acne more effectively. Below are among the widely used acne treatments:

Topical treatment - Topical medicines are among the most popular treatments for acne. They are prescribed by dermatologists in order to reduce inflammation, open the clogged pores of the skin, stop bacterial infection and reduce sebaceous gland's production of oil.

Among the topical treatments usually recommended by a dermatologist are Benzoyl Peroxide (Topical Bactericidals); Sulfur and Resorcinol; Azelaic Acid; topical antibiotics such as Clindamycin, Erythromycin and Sodium sulfacetamide; Retinoids (Vitamin A derivatives); and alcohol and acetone for milder forms of acne.

Exfoliating agents -Since one of the causes of acne is the accumulation of dead skin cells, exfoliating agents are needed to encourage peeling (not visible shedding of skin although in some instances, flaking occurs) of the outermost layer of the skin so that they won't build up and block the pores. Exfoliating the skin can be done by scrubbing the skin using a harsh cloth and liquid scrub or by using agents like Salicylic Acid and Glycolic Acid.

Oral Antibiotics

Antibiotics can also be taken orally to destroy the bacteria that cause infection. Most common oral antibiotics are Erythromycin, Oxytetracycline and Doxycycline. Taking these antibiotic drugs however could not in itself stop acne since it doesn't reduce excessive oil and normalize cell behavior that primarily cause blockage of the hair follicles.

Natural Treatment

Nothing can be safer than natural methods of treating acne. Natural acne treatments are advisable if your acne is just mild to moderate. One of the natural methods you can do is by eating unprocessed food, and vegetables and fruits rich in Vitamin A (this vitamin reduce oil production) and omega-3 oils. You should also drink lots of water and fruit juices. Avoiding food and beverages that aggravate acne is also helpful; among these are chocolates, fried food, coffee and milk products.