How to get rid of acne

Introduction

The best approach to getting rid of acne depends on the kind of acne you have and how bad (severe) it is. Most treatments take at least 4–6 weeks to start making a noticeable difference.

Non-medication strategies and lifestyle habits can also help keep your skin more calm and healthy alongside treatment.

Keep reading to learn more. Note: many treatments for acne need to be discussed with and prescribed by a doctor to check they are safe to use.

Mild acne on the forehead 

Moderate acne on the cheeks 

Severe back acne 

Habits to help with acne

• Use oil-free products on the skin.
• Remove make-up at the end of each day with a gentle cleanser.
• Avoid harsh skincare products or excessive exfoliating, which can irritate the skin even more.
• Avoid picking at or squeezing skin spots, which can increase the risk of scarring and infection.
• If you smoke cigarettes, cutting down or quitting smoking can help with acne as well as long-term skin and general health.
• Where possible, avoid very humid (hot, sticky) environments such as saunas.
• Consider reducing dairy and sugar intake — although the scientific evidence for this is weak.

Topical treatments

Topical treatments are applied directly to the skin eg, creams, lotions, gels, or cleansers. They may be all that is needed to treat mild acne, or used in combination with other treatments (like antibiotic tablets) for moderate or severe acne.

Examples of topical treatments for acne include products containing:

• Benzoyl peroxide — helps reduce the number of bacteria on the skin and settle inflammation (redness and swelling) of the skin and hair follicles
• Azelaic acid — also reduces inflammation, and can help fade dark spots left behind after acne clears up
• Salicylic acid — can help exfoliate and unplug blocked hair follicles
• Tretinoin or adapalene — encourages new, healthy skin growth and shedding of old skin cells (can cause peeling and dryness initially).

Many anti-acne skincare products containing benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, or salicylic acid are available to buy at a pharmacy without a prescription.

Tretinoin or adapalene products (which are types of topical retinoids, related to Vitamin A), on the other hand, generally need to be prescribed for you by a doctor.

Systemic treatments

Systemic treatments include tablets and capsules taken by mouth. If your acne is widespread, scarring, or not clearing up with topical treatments, your doctor may suggest trying one of the following medications (which are usually taken daily for at least 3–6 months):

• Antibiotics eg, doxycycline, lymecycline — these kill bacteria on the skin and reduce inflammation
• Isotretinoin — helps unblock pores and the growth of new, healthy skin. Blood tests may be needed every few months while taking it however, it can be a very effective treatment and sometimes clears acne up for good. Women of childbearing potential also need to be on contraception (birth control) to take isotretinoin, as it is not safe in pregnancy.

Hormonal medications such as the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), which is a type of birth control pill, can also be very helpful in controlling acne in women. They work by lowering testosterone, which is a hormone that (among other things) increases the amount of oil your skin makes.

Antibiotics, isotretinoin, and hormonal medications all need a prescription from a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional (eg, nurse practitioner), to ensure they are safe to use and for discussion of possible side effects.

Other treatments

Other treatments such as laser light therapy are also sometimes used to get rid of acne.

If your acne is severe, a referral to see a skin specialist (dermatologist) is recommended.

For more information about acne, see:

• Acne (overview)
• How to get rid of back acne