Finding an effective acne care treatment is often the goal of someone affected by acne. Anyone who has had acne understands the feelings of helplessness and despair that can accompany the appearance of yet another blemish. Fortunately, there are several wonderful acne remedies available to help those afflicted with acne. When searching for an acne care treatment it is a good idea to understand the origins of acne. A person's skin is covered with tiny pores. Skin glands secrete oil on a regular basis to keep skin soft and moist. The skin is renewed with fresh skin cells, and the dead skin cells are shed. Sometimes, however, this natural process goes wrong. The dead skin cells and oil become clogged in the pore. Bacteria begin to grow at the site of the pore, and a blemish is formed.

In a case of light acne, the blemish might be a blackhead or whitehead. In a more serious case of acne, the blemish could be a cyst or nodule, which are more painful, deeper and can cause scarring. In the case of serious acne it is a good idea to consult with your family doctor, who can help you determine which acne care treatment would be best for you, or can refer you to a dermatologist.

Some acne care treatment medications are only available with a doctor's prescription. These include antibiotics, which are used to kill acne causing bacteria and reduce inflammation. Also retinoids such as tretinoin, which help open pores so that medicine such as antibiotics can better penetrate the blemish, and isotretnoin, which decreases the skin’s oil production. Over the counter acne medications include benzoyl peroxide, which kills bacteria on the skin to cure existing blemishes and prevent new ones from occurring. Salicylic acid is another popular over the counter medicine that is used to prevent dead skin cells from clogging pores.