Acne is at best a very unpleasant condition to live with, but there are steps you can take to try to improve it. The traditional route is to contact your doctor to see what they would recommend. But theses days many are bypassing the doctor and going straight to the drugstore.

But how do you decide what is the best over the counter acne treatment for you and what advice do you take? There is so much advertising for different products that it is hard to know which is the best for you. Probably the first step to take in deciding, is whether you want to use a traditional medical treatment, or a one of the growing number of natural health products and remedies.

There are a growing number of natural products, as the trend towards a more holistic type of lifestyle becomes more popular. These products can be very good, but it is probably worth doing a little research so that you are quite clear about what you are buying and what it is supposed to do for your skin.

Traditional medical treatments are much more straightforward and many of the most popular contain salycic acid or benzoyl peroxide. If you prefer to go for the natural products, there are many to choose from, such as tea tree oil, aloe vera and Vitamin E. It is difficult to say which is the best over the counter acne treatment, as different products will suit different people. Most products whether natural or traditional, work by drying the skin to prevent excess oil building up and leading to acne.

Rather than buying the product that looks the best in the shop, it is usually best to ask the pharmacist for advice on which is the best over the counter acne treatment. They usually have extensive experience in dealing with this and are likely to know the products that work. There is a wide range to choose from and getting advice, is probably a good idea.

Even though you may have been very careful to buy the best over the counter acne treatment, it is possible that it is not suitable for your skin. If after trying a new treatment you experience any pain or discomfort it is best to check with your doctor. There are many treatments available and it is a good idea to get some good advice as to which is the best for your skin type, before you buy.