Acne Treatments - How Effective Are They Really?

Sometimes those who have been there understand things best. In this case, we're talking about acne. If you've suffered, you are more likely to understand what you need to get rid of the acne and the very real desire that drives you to get rid of it.

It's maybe no surprise, then, that Proactiv acne products were created by two dermatologists who suffered from acne themselves. They wanted a product that would help them get rid of their acne and prevent the formation of new acne. Proactiv was born. Necessity was truly the mother of invention here.

Today, it's one of the top selling products in the world for acne care, but before you buy you might wonder: Does it work? That depends on who you ask and what their particular problem is.

Here's the short answer - Proactiv works for most people with acne, both of a more severe variety and those who suffer mild acne. Some people report that their skin becomes too dry, while others report they still have acne problems. There are some tricks, however, and we'll look at those in a minute.

First, it's important to know what's in Proactiv that is the magic bullet. Proaciv is actually a set of three products. You are instructed to use all three products daily. They work in tandem and they don't all contain the same ingredients. The three products are a cleanser, a revitalizing toner and a repairing lotion.

The two key ingredients in the Proactiv products are benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid. The benzoyl peroxide serves to dry up the pimples (and hopefully help to prevent new ones from forming) while the glycolic acid helps to exfoliate the skin, which is really important to helping to prevent new pimples from forming.

There are other products you can buy - a moisturizer and an oil control lotion, both of which can be used daily. But the real winner among users seems to be the mask, which is an additional purchase, but which gets rave reviews.

If you are worried about Proactiv products drying your skin too much, you can do spot treatments. Use the cleanser over your whole face and then spot apply the toner and repair lotion in areas where you really need them.

In the end, the answer to the question of does Proactiv really work seems to be yes, for most people. The trick is in the application and the knowledge of your own skin, so you know what you skin can take and what modifications you need to make so you don't over dry your skin.