How to Get Rid of Acne

Written by: Mercedes Santaella-Lam

Whether you’re a teenager struggling with recurring breakouts or an adult experiencing acne for the first time, there is one universal truth: You want your skin to clear up—fast. Here’s what you need to get rid of acne, step by step…

Your Anti Acne Skin Care Routine

Numerous studies have conclusively shown which skin care ingredients really work to tackle breakouts. Here’s what you need to add to your arsenal to fight off acne as soon as it shows up.

  1. A gentle, water-soluble cleanser that you use morning and evening. While it’s a myth that dirty skin causes acne, removing excess oil and debris from skin creates a clean canvas for applying leave-on anti-acne products.
  2. A leave-on chemical exfoliant containing salicylic acid (BHA). BHA is oil soluble and can exfoliate deep down into pores to help unclog them. If that weren’t enough, it also has natural calming properties to soothe reddened skin.
  3. Anti Acne product. Anti Acne Product is the gold standard for fighting acne, and for good reason: It immediately targets the source of breakouts, leading to quicker relief.
  4. A lightweight sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher. Sunscreen can be an afterthought when you have an acne breakout, but it’s critically important that you apply it every day. Unprotected sun exposure damages every aspect of skin, often causing post-acne red marks to linger even after your skin has cleared up.

When to See a Doctor for Acne

In many cases, adjusting your skin care routine to include gentle, well-formulated anti acne products will make skin better. However, if you’ve done that, and you don’t see any improvement after four to six weeks, it’s time to consider an appointment with a dermatologist. A doctor can prescribe topical and oral medications that work with your skin care routine to help with severe acne.

Learn more about acne.