Acne affects almost 17 million people in the United States. Accordingly, pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies have targeted this large market by developing a vast range of skin care products to clean and clear your skin of acne.

Here in this article, we'll address the different fads, brands, types and ingredients with regard to the best acne products so you can confidently enter that daunting cleansers aisle. When you are done reading, you will have a broad knowledge base of the different non acne medication options at your finger tips.

Over the Counter Acne Products

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide, one of the most common over the counter acne solutions, works by killing the acne-causing bacteria P. acnes and by removing excess skin cells. The P. acnes bacteria cannot survive in an aerobic, or with oxygen, environment. Application of benzoyl peroxide introduces oxygen into the follicle, thereby killing bacteria. Unfortunately, benzoyl peroxide dries out the skin and causes flaking, in addition to causing some level of structural damage to the skin by its release of free radicals. Proactiv's infomercial has made their product popular; their main product line utilizes benzoyl peroxide.

Salicylic Acid

Pimple products with salicylic acid assist the skin in shedding excess skin cells more efficiently, thereby reducing the likelihood that skin cells will combine with sebum and form pore-clogging keratin. Salicylic acid tends to work well as the main ingredient of whitehead and blackhead products. Popular brands that use salicylic acid include Noxzema, Oxy and Stridex.

Alcohol and Acetone

Alcohol and acetone, typically found together, are used as oily skin acne treatments, typically toners and astringents. The alcohol kills bacteria while the acetone reduces excess oil.

Sulfur and Resorcinol

Resorcinol and sulfur typically are combined in acne products. The reason that sulfur works, even though it has been in use for more than 50 years as a way to becoming acne free, has still not been agreed upon by scientists. Resorcinol prevents whiteheads and blackheads by removing excess dead skin cells. Clearsil's 'medicated' blemish line utilizes sulfur and resorcinol as main ingredients.

Natural Acne Products

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil works as an antimicrobial when applied topically to the skin. The skin can initially be quite sensitive to tea tree oil so application should begin in low concentrations, diluted with water or aloe vera gel.

Licorice Root Extract

Licorice root extract is an antimicrobial that kills the acne-causing bacteria P. acnes. It also works as an anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, antioxidant and inhibitor of sebum.

Garlic

Garlic is a natural antibacterial agent that also contains sulfur.

Alpine Willow Herb Extract

This extract is a natural source of keratolytic salicylic acid in addition to being an antimicrobial.

Helix Aspersa Muller Glycoconjugates

All top acne products should contain this serum. It stimulates skin cell reparation (especially beneficial if you should be tormented by acne scars) and helps to moderate the body's inflammatory response to infection. This cuts down on the number of damaging chemicals released by the body's white blood cells as they fight foreign entities, protecting the adjacent healthy skin against unnecessary injury. It also exfoliates the skin naturally with enzymes, preventing skin pores from becoming blocked, and cleanses the skin of bacteria without causing extreme drying.