If you have blemishes, don't you need to dump them? Or possibly just put a paper bag over your head? I know, I sure didn't wish them when I was growing up. It started long, long ago when I was around 12 years in age. My mother failed to have this problem and who is able to say if my father did, but all we knew was that I had pimples. Which was the pits, period. Talking of periods, mine started a year later . Hmmm? Perhaps there had been a connection? As a case of fact there had been a connection between spots and puberty. Bummer.

Hence naturally, like a good mom, my mum dragged me to a couple of health food stores to go looking for natural paths to help me with my skin. Oh, that was fun! Clueless strangers having a look at me with a confused look and giving me this or that cure. I believe they were thinking, “Please go away.” Confused, I tell you, bewildered! But then again, so was I.

Moving on, I’d see some acne commercials and so a-ha! I know what the answer's! I need product X, Y, or Z! The ones I saw on The television and, voila, my acne will be gone! Some hits and misses but still no cigar, or should I say beautiful skin?

O.K, okay, it is time to get take things into my very own hands and check out what there is in the medication cupboard. Maybe some of this alcohol or hydrogen peroxide might work? Oh, the sting and the burn, it must be working. Kill, kill, kill the acne now! What? I currently have dried out, irritated and peeling skin? How long must this go on?

Well, guess what? During my teen years, even with the assistance of my mother and my personal sorry attempts, I never found out what actually worked until I turned 18, during my senior year. Thank The Lord for being 18! What made being 18 better? I spotted I could make my own doctor’s appointments did so because by this time I’d had it!

Lo and behold, the doctor said, “Yup, you’ve got a nice case of acne and you need prescriptions.” He prescribed two antibiotics, one internal and one topical and Retin-a. I eventually got my acne in order, but my journey in the university years was much worse, but that is a different story.

I ended up going to esthetics school in my late twenties and confirmed that I knew nothing about looking after my skin. Now, 15 years on, I'm a professional at dealing with acne. Let me share with you what I have learned over the years:

Always wash your face 2x a day in the AM and PM.

If you wash your face too much, you'll over dry your skin and your skin will overcompensate for the aridness by producing rather more oil. You lose and the acne wins.

Believe it or not but acneic skin needs hydration like a moisturizing toner, skin humectants, and/or an oil-free lotion. The hydration balances the oil and water moisture on the skin.

Acne needs scrubbing, but it relies on what level of acne you have. There are four grades of acne, from mild to dreadful. Some examples could be scrubs, exfoliating cleaners, hydroxy acids, enzymes or facial brushes. You have to unblock those pores. This is important for self-esteem improve your overall outlook.

Kill the acne bacteria. Benzoyl peroxide works the best, but there are important oils, triclosan, and salicylic acid formulas. Here's where you've got to be diligent, yet careful not to overuse and cause too much irritation with some of these.

Eventually, I learned that professional products are way more effective than over the counter products. Why? OTC products sell to the masses so they do not make them as strong. Pro products are rather more powerful with higher active constituents and better formulations and that's one more reason why they do cost more. You're stumping up for the effectiveness of the product.

Acne can be a challenge and it can be controllable. It could take weeks and often months to clear up, so show patience. You'll also have to try a few products before you find what really works for you. One of the most important things is that you will need somebody to help you with your skin, to adjust your skin care routine and to observe your progress. Often, acne gets worse when you're starting a good treatment program, so be patient. There are answers to zapping the zits and getting more clear, healthier skin.

Jennifer Monson is employed by drug rehab San Diego and San Diego addictions treatment. Jennifer likes to write about many health subjects.

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