A wide range of medications are available today which have proven effective in the treatment of acne. Sometimes it may be necessary to take a combination of medicines to successfully and completely treat the acne. The earlier you treat your acne, the less likely you are to develop severe acne and scars from pimples. Do consult your dermatologist before embarking on any course of medication. Also, do remember that there are no miraculous cures for acne and medications that promise an overnight cure are probably not proven to do so. Results from these acne drugs are generally seen in six to eight weeks.

Most over-the-counter (OTC) medications are suited for mild forms of acne. For moderate to severe forms of acne you will probably have to consult a dermatologist and get medicines prescribed for your specific condition. Amongst the OTC medicines, there are as many medicines as there are forms of acne! Choosing the right one for your condition can be a challenging task. Topical acne medications available are found in the form of creams, gels, lotions and soaps. Some of the common over-the-counter medications are:

Benzoyl Peroxide

This is a strong oxidizer that helps to kill the bacteria responsible for the inflammation and redness that are present in the clogged pores. It has been proven successful in treating acne in the short term. It also helps to clear the acne by removing dead skin cells in the clogged pores. Be warned that benzoyl peroxide can cause dryness and irritation, so do apply only as per directions. It is also a known bleaching agent so be careful of your clothes and sheets when using it.

Salicyclic Acid

This is a common exfoliating agent that helps in peeling the top layer of the skin and thereby prevents the build up of dead skin cells which are partially responsible for clogging the pores. It also assists in unblocking already blocked pores. It can be a skin irritant, so again use as per directions. Also, it does not prevent the formation of new blemishes.

Resorcinol

Resorcinol, found in many OTC medicines, is used to treat acne, seborrhic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin disorders. It breaks down blackheads and whiteheads and this helps to control acne.

Sulfur

Rarely used alone due to it abhorrent smell, sulfur is present in many OTC medications, especially in combination with alcohol, salicyclic acid and resorcinol.

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In the United States alone, there are over 40 Million people who struggle with acne. Many of these people treat acne using chemicals such as antibiotics, prescription drugs, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.

However, there is a growing number of people who choose herbal acne treatments over traditional medications. Usually, herbal medications have far fewer side effects, and are not as dangerous as some of the prescription drugs.

The problem however, is that the United States does very little to regulate the herbal supplement industry. Unlike traditional chemical medications, herbal medications are not required to be clinically proven to work, or even to be safe. An example of this lack of regulation recently came to light with ephedra related deaths, and ephedras subsequent ban.

This lack of regulation results in many different acne products on the market. All of which claim to heal, prevent, or even cure acne with few, if any, side effects.

The truth is, there are very few herbal acne treatments that are scientifically proven to work. Traditional chemical treatments are still the most effective in stopping acne.

There are only 2 herbal treatments that have been clinically proven to help stop acne, tea tree oil and green tea cream.

Tea tree oil is a natural oil, derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia, a particular type of tea tree found exclusively in Australia. While it has been used from hundreds of years by the native aboriginals as a treatment for just about anything, it has only recently been accepted by modern medicine as being a viable anti-bacterial agent.

Even though tea tree oil has been suspected as an anti-bacterial agent for some time, A groundbreakings study was conducted in 1990 by I.B. Bassett, which compared tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne. It was found that tea tree oil is as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. It takes longer (6 weeks) for the tea tree oil to be as effective, but participants in the study reported none of the side effects associated with benzoyl peroxide, such as redness, skin irritation, or dry skin.

This study has helped tea tree oil become a recognized and legitimate herbal acne treatment. However, there is no need to purchase an expensive cream that contains tea tree oil. Just applying several drops of the oil directly on the acne has shown to be the most effective way to apply tea tree oil.

This was the only herbal acne treatment that had been proven to work until recently, when Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong conducted a study that shows green tea can also effectively fight acne.

Dr. Gan-Wong compared a green tea cream with 3% green tea, to a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution, and found that the results in treating acne where the same for both the tea and the peroxide. These results were recently presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

These findings are relatively recent, and are not yet corroborated by additional independent studies. However, this evidence does demonstrate that the natural anti-bacterial properties of green tea can be effective to treat acne.

For those of you who are confused by the plethora of herbal acne treatments available, there really are only 2 that have been proven to be effective in fighting acne. Green tea cream, and tea tree oil. While many other herbal acne treatments may be good to moisturize the skin, or reduce oils, these are the only two that should be considered truly effective acne treatments.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com