Many people, from teens to adults, are searching for the answer to their acne problem. While acne affects around 80% of teens, it is not limited to that age group and many adults find themselves faced with problem skin, sometimes for the first time in years. What to do? Fortunately there are a number of excellent options for the care and curing of acne prone skin. Contrary to popular belief, an acne problem doesn't occur because someone is dirty or eats chocolate. Acne is a result of your body's natural processes. The skin glands produce oil to keep your face and other areas moist. As new skin cells are generated, the skin rids itself of dead skin cells. An acne problem occurs when the skin's pores become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. Bacteria begin to multiply in the pore and a blemish develops.

Different types of blemishes can develop as part of an acne problem. Blackheads occur when the pore is open and the plug is exposed and becomes dark in color. Whiteheads are blemishes where the skin is closed over the plug. Blackheads and whiteheads are forms of light, non-inflammatory acne. Nodules and cysts are a more serious type of acne called inflammatory acne. Nodules are inflamed blemishes with a solid plug deep in the pore. Cysts are painful, inflamed blemishes which contain pus. This type of acne often leads to scarring.