One of the biggest acne myths is that it only affects teens. While it'd be great if that were true, over one-half of adults in their twenties have acne. If you're one of them, you need to start using the best acne spot treatment.
An acne spot treatment helps minimize your breakouts, and it can even prevent future ones. While they won't get to the root of your acne, they can help reduce the look of blemishes.
The best acne spot treatment works with your facial cleanser to give you clearer skin without irritation or other side effects.
Comparison Table
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Acne Spot Treatment FAQs
If you have acne, you probably know how annoying it can be. You probably envy your friends who can "just" wash their face and have clear skin. But you need something more.
A good acne spot treatment is an easy addition to your skincare routine. But you might have some questions about the best acne spot treatment.
What is acne spot treatment?
As you would expect, an acne spot treatment is a skincare product that targets acne such as pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. You use an acne spot treatment on problem areas, not your entire face.
What does it do?
The best acne spot treatment gets rid of acne and minimizes acne scarring.
At the same time, it should also be safe for your skin. Many acne medications are strong, but that doesn't mean they should burn or hurt.
How does it work?
There are different active ingredients in different acne spot treatments. Therefore, different products work in different ways.
Two of the most common active ingredients are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
Benzoyl peroxide works by killing bacteria that cause acne. It also gets rid of excess oils and dead skin cells. You can choose products with 2.5 to 10 percent benzoyl peroxide, with a higher percentage being stronger.
If you choose a product with benzoyl peroxide, be careful. It can bleach your hair and clothing as well as cause various side effects.
Salicylic acid keeps your pores open, and it doesn't kill off the bacteria that cause acne. You can get salicylic acid products with strengths from 0.5 to 5 percent.
Because it's milder than benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid has fewer side effects. When they do occur, they're usually not serious.
Other active ingredients include alpha hydroxy acids and sulfur. These aren't as common.
Why do you need to use acne spot treatment?
Image source: Pixabay
While it's tempting to believe that facial cleanser is enough to get rid of acne, that's not always the case. If you have acne prone skin, you need a product that can target acne. Some face washes can prevent acne.
But at the end of the day, the purpose of a facial cleanser is to clean your face. You still need something that specifically treats your acne.
Acne spot treatment is also great if you have a few pimples here or there. Since you only use spot treatment where you have acne, it can be less harsh than acne treatment for your entire face.
To choose the best acne spot treatment for you, consider your specific problems and skin type. Start with a lower strength product, and don't be afraid to try products with different active ingredients.
Lastly, be patient. It can take time for you to see results.
Where can you buy it?
When it comes to over-the-counter (OTC) acne spot treatments, you can buy them at the pharmacy or online.
Some other in person stores, like grocery stores, might also have a small selection of products.
How much does it cost?
The best acne spot treatment for you might cost anywhere from under $5 to $30 to $40.
Since most of these products are for small parts of your face, you don't get a lot of product. You could get as little as 0.25 fluid ounces or use over 1.5 fluid ounces.
How We Reviewed
We started our search for the best acne spot treatment online. There are tons of acne spot treatments available. To narrow our search, we looked for highly rated products. Dermatologist recommendations were a nice bonus for some of the products on our list.
We found acne spot treatments from popular skin care brands and a couple from smaller companies.
After we found a few prospects, we looked at the ingredients of the products, price, and customer reviews.
The Best Acne Spot Treatment
Whether you suffer from occasional breakouts or regular acne, you need the best acne spot treatment. Using a product specifically for your acne is better than facial cleanser alone because you can target problem areas.
Now it's time to find the best acne spot treatment.
Neutrogena OntheSpot Acne Treatment
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Neutrogena has a lot of acne-fighting face products from face washes to cosmetics. Their OntheSpot Acne Treatment is just one more way to fight your acne. The acne spot treatment contains 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide, so it targets the bacteria behind your acne.
Recommended by dermatologists, this oil-free product is noncomedogenic, which means it won't clog your pores. Thanks to the benzoyl peroxide, the acne spot treatment is very effective at treating breakouts. It won't dry out your face or irritate it as much as some other products.
Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment
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Clean & Clear is another famous skin care brand that you can find in just about any drugstore. Like Neutrogena, they have what could be the best acne spot treatment. The Advantage Acne Spot Treatment uses witch hazel and salicylic acid to reduce signs of acne.
This treatment is oil-free, and Clean & Clear claims it will result in clearer skin within one day. The formula dissolves oils on your skin, and it reduces the size and redness of pimples.
Witch hazel soothes your skin while the two percent salicylic acid unclogs your pores. You can use it on normal, oily, or combination skin.
Proactiv Adapalene Gel
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The Proactiv system has many amazing acne-fighting products, and the Adapalene Gel is no exception. Adapalene gel stops the redness and inflammation from acne, and it treats the source of your acne. Proactiv's prescription-strength retinoid can treat blackheads, pimples, whiteheads, and more.
Both teens and adults can use it, and it can restore your skin's natural tone and texture.
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne-Eliminating Spot Gel
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The Neutrogena Rapid Clear is the best acne spot treatment for anyone who reacts to benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient, and it can both treat and prevent acne. The maximum strength formula is perfect for acne-prone skin.
Surprisingly, you can see results in as little as eight hours thanks to an oil-dissolving component in the gel. Neutrogena is one of the most popular skincare brands among dermatologists.
DRMTLGY Acne Spot Treatment
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The company DRMTLGY isn't as popular as some, but they have an excellent acne spot treatment. It contains 5 percent benzoyl peroxide to fight the bacteria behind acne. Glycolic acid is a form of sugar cane that reduces redness and acne scarring.
You can use the treatment whether you have dry, oily, combination, sensitive, or normal skin.
TreeActiv Invisible Acne Spot Treatment
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If you have sensitive skin, you should try TreeActiv Invisible Acne Spot Treatment. You can apply it at any time of day, and you can even wear it under your makeup. The treatment uses a blend of essential oils to deep clean your pores.
TreeActiv only uses all-natural ingredients, so you don't have to worry about harsh chemicals. The treatment helps balance your skin's natural oils to reduce breakouts.
Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10
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Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10 is possibly the best acne spot treatment for anyone who needs a strong product. It contains 10 percent benzoyl peroxide to treat current pimples and prevent future ones. The treatment focuses on the source of acne, and it works quickly.
You can get a prescription-strength formula without needing to see a dermatologist. Even better? This formula is very affordable.
That Hit the Spot!
If you're one of the many people suffering from acne, it can be tough to find a product that works for you. Luckily there are many acne spot treatments, so you're sure to find at least one that works.
Unfortunately, acne treatment is just one of those that you have to experiment with. We can't list one single best acne spot treatment. Each has benefits for different situations.
For instance, if you're new to acne spot treatments, we recommend trying the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Gel. It's affordable. And, of course, the salicylic acid isn't harsh on your skin.
But, if you've tried everything, give the Proactiv Adapalene Gel a shot. It has a unique active ingredient, and you can use it with the other products in the Proactiv system.
For anyone on a budget, both of the Clean & Clear treatments are amazing. Just choose the one with the right active ingredient for you.
Do you have an acne spot treatment that you have come to rely on over the years? Tell us all about it in the comments!
Featured image via Pixabay
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