Over-the-Counter Medicine for Acne
February 16th, 2010 | 
Over-the-Counter Products
Used to treat mild, moderate and severe acne, the effectiveness of over-the-counter medications lies in the product’s active ingredient(s). This acne medicine are proven to be effective for the past years and it is always been emphasize to read the manual and direction before using. This does not apply in this treatment but also on other medicine. Check with your dermatologist or pharmacist before combining acne products.
Alcohol and acetone
Found together in some over-the-counter medications used to treat acne, acetone works as a degreasing agent and alcohol has mild antimicrobial properties. When used alone, acetone tends to have no effect.
Benzoyl peroxide
The mainstay of over-the-counter acne treatment, benzoyl peroxide works to clear up acne by reducing P. acnes and removing dead cells from the skin to prevent comedones.
“Herbal,” “organic” and “natural” products
Over-the-counter products labeled “herbal,” “organic” or “natural” are marketed as acne treatments but their effectiveness has rarely been tested in clinical trials.
Resorcinol
A popular ingredient in over-the-counter acne medications, resorcinol controls small acne lesions and is frequently combined with sulfur in over-the-counter products.
Salicylic acid
Effective in treating non-inflammatory acne lesions, salicylic acid helps correct the abnormal shedding of skin cells and unclog pores to resolve and prevent lesions. It may be irritating to the skin.
Sulfur
Sulfur has been used for more than 50 years in combination with other agents, such as alcohol, salicylic acid and resorcinol and is found in many over-the-counter acne medications. While long used to treat acne, it is not known how sulfur works to clear acne.
