Ingredients to Look For
Saturday, January 10, 2009 12:56While standing in a drug store aisle looking at the many different acne products, you may find yourself very confused. Which are the best acne solutions? Do all of them even work? Reading the ingredients can help, but some of the huge words and unfamiliar terms may cause even more confusion. Here are three ingredients to look for when selecting an acne product (since each of these is the active ingredient, you won’t find all three in the same product).
The most common and effective ingredient is benzoyl peroxide. This product kills the bacteria that cause acne and helps to remove dead skin and other debris that can clog up your pores. Benzoyl peroxide can, however, cause dry skin, redness, and even some minor swelling, plus it may make your skin more susceptible to sunburns. Generally, a product will include between 2.5 percent and 10 percent of benzoyl peroxide.
The second active ingredient is salicylic acid. This acid slows down the shedding of skin cells inside your hair follicles. This keeps your pores open and prevents acne buildup. Salicylic acid also reduces whiteheads and blackheads. It can, however, irritate the skin and sting a bit. Acne products may contain anywhere from .5 percent to two percent of this ingredient.
Finally, the rarest active ingredient in over the counter acne products is sulfur and resorcinol. They help remove dead skin and remove any excess oil from the pores. Like salicylic acid, sulfur can also help break down blackhead and whiteheads. However, like the other acne treatment solutions, there are some possible side-effects: you may suffer peeling and some redness.
