Acne plagues thousands of people around the world. From teenagers to adults on the wrong side of middle age, it is a skin disorder that is extremely common as well as very unpleasant. It is painful, distressing, and often leaves scars even after it is treated.
There are hundreds of skin-care products that claim to treat acne. Finding the right treatment for you is almost like finding a needle in a haystack. To make things a little easier for you, here is a comprehensive review of five of the best acne treatment solutions as per popular ratings.
The reviews are accurate, based on substantiate research, and are aimed at helping you make a healthy and informed choice. The five products being reviewed here are Murad Acne Complex, Proactive Acne Solutions, Clinique Acne Solutions, Clear Skin Max and Exposed Skin Care.
Murad Acne Complex
The Murad Acne Complex consists of a three-step process, which consists of a Clarifying Cleanser, an Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel, and lastly a Skin Perfecting Moisturizer. It was developed by Howard Murad and has been a popular product for treating acne breakouts.
The product has yielded mixed reviews from viewer ratings and is different from most other acne treatment products in the sense that it does not contain benzoyl peroxide, which is a leading ingredient used in most acne treatments.
The product claims to remove all signs of acne in just 4 weeks. While this is not exactly accurate, results are often visible within the second month, depending on the severity of the condition.
Pros
While the purging period does see some aggravation of the condition, the product pulls through and actually gives visible results. The moisturizer smells pleasant and does not stick. The Pore Cleansing mask that the treatment comes with is quite helpful and has a lot of positive reviews.
It uses a lot of natural extracts such as bitter orange oil, tea tree extracts, camellia leaf extract, menthol along with known acne fighters such as salicylic acid that help in curing acne without causing much damage to the skin. Spot sulfur treatment that it includes has also given positive results among a large number of users.
Cons
The purging period is extremely painful and itchy. The acne increases considerably before it is healed, if at all. Moreover, the product does not work for all skin types, and the moisturizer is not enough to help soothe the roughness and pain. Reviews have revealed that the system leaves the skin oily and shinier and that acne takes a lot of time to heal, especially if it is in its moderate or severe phase.
Verdict
The Murad Acne Complex might or might not work for you. It has mixed user ratings and though it can be helpful for minor to moderate acne, it has reportedly shown less impressive results for severe cases of acne. However it might work if you have oily skin.
Proactive Acne Solution
Proactive Acne Solutions is an extremely popular, three-step acne treatment system that consist of cleansing, toning and acne repairing. A new product that Proactive recently added to its acne treatment list is a Refining Mask.
The product was first manufactured in 1988 by Guthy-Renker, and has been a popular treatment since. According to the instructions, only a dime sized amount of cleaner, a cotton ball of toner and a pea sized amount of repairing treatment is to be used twice daily for the system to work.
Pros
The system covers blackheads, pimples, whiteheads and cures immediate acne breakouts. It reduces the visibility of pores and leaves the skin fragrant. It works well for some and leaves skin soft and supple, if the instructions are followed exactly as given.
The Refining Mask is very useful for drying up pimples since it consists of sulfur as an active ingredient, which is known to effectively kill acne causing surface bacteria. A Tea tree Moisturizer is also available as part of the kit and should definitely be used along with the system which is known to leave skin soft and dry.
Cons
The products are extremely harsh and may not yield good results, even aggravate the condition sometimes. The treatment causes excessive drying of the skin, and skin peeling has also been reported, though the exact cause of the peeling could not be determined.
Proactive is expensive, and often does not yield positive results, sometimes even after 8 weeks of regular usage. It is also not recommended for dry to normal skin at all since it completely dries out the skin and leaves it reddened and irritated.
Verdict
All in all, even though Proactive might work for some, most users have reported negative results, with no improvement in the condition whatsoever. Despite this, it continues to be a popular product. You can try it for the sheer popularity of the product.
Clinique Acne Solutions
Clinique is a well known brand and has allergy tested and medically approved skin care products that are very effective in treating skin problems. Clinique Acne Solutions Skin Care Treatment uses gentle exfoliation and cleansing to unclog the clogged pores of your skin to reduce the dirt build up which causes acne. It is gentle on the skin, and does not contain any oily or smelly substances that could affect the skin negatively.
Pros
It uses salicylic acid as its main ingredient for acne treatment, which is popular for its anti-acne properties. The system consists of a cleanser, a gentle exfoliator and a lotion, which contains benzoyl peroxide.
It clears acne by reducing oil secretion and improves the complexion with repeated use. The supplementary skin care products that Clinique offers are helpful in reducing blemishes and scars left by acne. "Even Better" is one such product that specializes in treating acne.
The company also has spot treatment products that zap away almost all the pimples in the shortest possible time. The product claims to remove acne in 6 weeks, and leave skin softer and clearer.
Cons
6 weeks is a longer period than that is promised by most acne treatment solutions. Most treatments claim to yield results within the first month of usage. There is no clear list of all anti acne ingredients used in this product since no official description or list is provided.
It is good for curing sudden breakouts but does not hold out well in the long run. Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are both not enough to treat acne in its core and there are no other primary anti acne agents, natural or otherwise in the system.
Verdict
The product sells on its brand name however does not live up to expectations. The product website does not give any detailed description of the anti-acne treatment, or about the ingredients that are used for making it.
There are variety of other products in the market that might offer better results at lower prices and are all-natural. While Clinique works to remove a pimple here and a zit there, it fails to target the core problem of acne break outs. It can be used as an effective immediate spot treatment solution though.
Clear Skin Max
A relatively new member of the anti acne treatment family, Clear Skin Max is still proving its mettle in the skin care industry. Till now it has had some very positive reviews due to its new and all natural approach towards fighting acne.
Clear Skin Max was designed as an alternative for those who did not want to subject their already damaged skin to further chemical damage. It uses natural ingredients that help in reducing inflammation, acne, and irritation without causing any side effects or without excessive drying of the skin.
Pros
Since the skin is naturally sensitive and acne inflicted skin gets further damaged with chemical treatment, products with natural ingredients are always a plus. Clear Skin Max uses anti-acne tea tree oils to control acne which have been reported to show immediate results in reducing inflammation.
Chamomile oil and bladder wrack are also used to treat acne without causing any harm to the skin. Not only does the product treat acne but it also leaves skin softer. Better still, it does not contain any harsh chemicals that cause drying of the skin.
Chamomile oil is effective in reducing scars and blemishes left by acne and since it is also an anti-bacterial agent, it also prevents acne naturally by fighting bacteria. Another plus point of the system is that it contains bladder wrack which is known not only for its anti-acne properties but also because it restores elasticity to the skin, helping the skin remain youthful and smooth.
It also uses natural products like hyaluronic acid, which is a known youth restorative, jojoba oil and others that maintains the moisture levels of the skin. These natural extracts not only fight acne but also strengthen the skin from inside and thus prevent breakouts, apart from clearing the skin of acne and its scars.
Cons
The ingredients are not used in high quantities in the product, which sometimes may not be enough to treat acne. Severe acne might not be easily treated with natural ingredients, since they require stronger ingredients that directly aim at reducing acne.
Even though the 6-step system is designed to fight and destroy acne right from its roots, it will really take a long time to heal for those who suffer from severe cases of acne. The negative aspect of this point again depends on how patient the user is even though the product yields guaranteed results.
Verdict
Clear Skin Max is a complete product that not only helps fight acne but also helps to protect and strengthen the skin. It is great for mild to moderate acne as well as adult acne and has been reported to have minimal side effects. It uses natural ingredients that have no reported side effects and the product enjoys great reviews by most users.
Exposed Skin Care Acne Treatment
This acne treatment system consists of 6 different products, a facial cleanser, that cleanses and exfoliates the skin, a clearing tonic that claims to delve deep inside the clogged skin pores and opens them up so that the dirt and grime can escape.
Then there is the Acne treatment Serum, which is the main repairing product that consists of benzoyl peroxide, a well-known anti acne element. A Clear Pore serum also comes with the system and is to be used at night; it works nocturnally to unclog your pores and clear skin. The last two products consist of a Clarifying mask which is to be used twice a week at most, and a Microderm scrub, that has anti oxidants for deep pore exfoliation.
Pros
It uses Azelaic acid, a known anti bacterial component as its primary ingredient, which clears acne by killing bacteria which is the main cause of acne. It also contains a 3.5% concentration of benzoyl acid, which is a popular ingredient in several anti-acne treatments.
It deeply exfoliates skin to keep out all the unwanted oil and dirt from the pores. This enhances your skin and helps to keep it free from acne.
Cons
Azelaic acid has many known side effects such as skin irritation, and unwanted hair growth. Many users have reported an increase in the quantity of facial hair after repeated use of products containing high concentrations of azelaic acid.
Also, the product lists tea tree oil as one of the leading ingredients, which can only be considered as a subsidiary product since it only aids treatment without playing any substantial role in the actual process.
The 3.5% benzoyl peroxide concentration is not enough to fight acne, the standard requirement being 5% to 8% concentration. Severe cases of acne cannot be treated well with this range of products.
Moreover the customer service is reportedly unresponsive, thus you might face a problem if you choose to pursue the money back guarantee at all.
Verdict
In conclusion, it can be said that this is a good product to use for those with mild acne but it does not work well for treating severe acne. Moreover many other products are available in the market that uses natural ingredients. Organic products are always a better option. This is another product that can be used to treat mild acne.
However keep in mind that treating acne requires not just medication but also a healthy lifestyle. Proper diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, hydration and hygiene are extremely important for a clear and healthy skin.
Medications can only work when coupled with a healthy lifestyle. So if you are plagued with acne, first, change your lifestyle, and then clear your acne with the help of the perfect product for you, which you can pick with the help of these reviews.
About The Author
My name is Sunil Visvambaram. I'm currently doing a research on natural adult acne treatments and writing articles on my findings. Acne is a skin disorder condition that affects almost any part of your body. But it primarily affects on your face. This has become a serious issue that many actually overlook. In fact, it affects more than 17 million adults in the US alone! If you let your acne unattended, it can really turn out to become a severe condition which needs medical attention. Please visit my website http://adultacnetreatmentreviews.com for more information on how to prevent, manage and cure your acne permanently.
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