The main ingredients used in most cleansers are alcohol and acetone. Though they are great for removing oil and dirt from the skin, they can also cause burning and stinging to the skin. In fact, sometimes dermatologists will not suggest using products with them if you suffer from severe acne.

Salicylic acid prevents clogging of pores

Salicylic acid is effective in dissolving acne breakouts by removing dead skin cells found stuck in the hair follicles. This in turn prevents pores from clogging and thus permits free flow of oil and sebum.

There is a chance of experiencing some mild redness and stinging when using products with salicylic acid. Usually two percent mixtures are sufficient for treating acne; in severe cases, stronger mixtures may be suggested.

Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most efficient ingredients of acne medicine. It not only helps in killing bacteria, but it also helps in removing bacteria from follicles and in dissolving skin cells. Acne products usually have 2.5% of benzoyl peroxide; but at times, it may reach levels of 10%. Obviously, the more severe is the acne case, the higher will be its percentage.

Antibiotics are found in various forms

Benzoyl peroxide is best used for treating early cases of acne as it dries skin and helps in scaling. At times, it may also bring about redness and swelling of the acne area. Sometimes, the doctor may prescribe acne medicine with antibiotics to kill the bacteria, and thus stop the spread of acne.

Antibiotics are also given to prevent scars. These antibiotics can be prescribed in tablet form or as creams and ointments. As they have a regular schedule of use, they have to be used within a prescribed time limit.

Sulfur is never administered alone to treat acne

Sulfur is never used alone in acne medicine. However it is effective for acne reduction, removal of excess oil and the elimination of dead skin cells from the skin. It helps in drying skin and may make thing sore at the start of the treatment. However if these symptoms persist, stop using it till the side effects wear off.

Isotretinoin is an ingredient that helps in lowering oil and sebum production, while soothing inflammation and irritation. It helps by unclogging pores and in the removal of dead skin cells. However isotretinoin can induce scaling of skin and bring about dryness in the lip area.

So you can see that different acne medicine have different ingredients that are useful in either unclogging pores, drying skin or in elimination of dead skin cells. The doctor will be able to decide which acne medicine is best suited for treating your case of acne.