Blackhead Remover

Blackheads – everybody gets them and everybody hates them. Though they are often associated with acne breakouts, they don’t always happen at the same time and blackheads can remain even after the red pimples go away.

Many people look into blackhead removers, which can sometimes be an effective way of reducing, if not eliminating the visible blackheads. Blackheads can be more resistant to cleansers and topical treatments than pimples, but there are some effective treatments out there.

Before using products, it is always good to use warm water or steam first in order to open up the pores. Perhaps not all of the blackheads will be removed, but the most visible ones and those which can develop into acne pimples can be controlled.

For the most effective acne treatments, check out these products…

Acne Creams

Many acne treatments come in cream form. So what are the advantages to acne creams?

One of the biggest advantages to creams is that they are applied directly to the problem and can begin their work immediately. The most effective creams will contain scientifically-proven ingredients which work to kill bacteria, reduce oil production, and treat other factors that cause acne breakouts. Some of the harsh ingredients often included in creams are benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, which can sometimes be effective but often leave the skin dry and red.

To find the most effective acne treatment option for you, check out the following top-recommended products as reviewed by consumers and experts…

Acne Home Remedies

For those of us with a bad acne problem, we’ve all looked into some of the home remedies available. Some seem reasonable while others border on just plain ridiculous. There is everything from oatmeal masks to rubbing garlic cloves on your face. Personally I don’t want my face smelling as bad as it looks.

Most acne home remedies are simply traditions and have little medicinal value or effectiveness at treating acne. There are a few remedies which have actually been proven effective, many of them involving potent herbs, which have been incorporated into some of the most popular acne treatments available on the market.

To find the most effective acne treatments as recommended by professionals and consumers, check out the following…

Best Acne Products

Which are the Best Acne Products? Well, it depends on different things for different people. Some expect fast results, others a reasonable price, while some are more concerned about safety. With hundreds of products on the market, the search can be a little confusing. Many of the most effective products can be pricey, but are often worth the results. These can often be confused with imitations which charge the same high price but offer little in the way of results.

So what can you do to find the right product for you? Read what consumers and experts have recommended and take a look into the science behind each product!

Check out these products which have come top-recommended by experts and consumers alike…

SensiClear

Is SensiClear really the ultimate acne treatment? There is definitely a lot of hype around the product due to the expensive marketing strategy of the company, but when it comes down to it consumers like myself just want a product that works, regardless of what TV personalities think about it. I will go through a basic run-down of the package that SensiClear offers.

• “Purifying Cleanser” – the ingredients compare pretty directly to a basic face wash, which can be found anywhere. There is nothing to say it isn’t an effective face cleaner, though its ingredients are the usual synthetic and relatively inexpensive mix.
• “Balancing Toner” – contains salicylic acid, which is proven to be an effective pore cleanser. Be warned however that this is a synthetic compound and can be harsh on the skin. A gentler alternative would be White Willow Bark (a natural source of salicylic acid), which is gentler on the skin while providing the same cleansing power.
• “Acne Treatment Lotion” – again the active ingredient is salicylic acid. Aside from this the lotion contains a pretty heavy combination of waxes, silicones, and alcohols. These can be known to actually aggravate acne.
• “Bonus Spot Treatment “ – This is simply a compound containing salicylic acid in about 4 times the concentration, which may remove the acne but will likely lead to “dry, peeling, red, or scaling skin,” as stated on Drugs.com.

Pricing

Most places list this package at around $80, which is a very expensive for just a basic (and inexpensively made) mix of chemicals. On their website, they offer a trial of the package for the $7.95 shipping cost. If you look at the terms however, if you do not cancel in 30 days, you will be automatically enrolled in their program and charged $24.50 for the next shipment and for every month after that. On top of that, autoship programs are a pain to cancel. More often than not, the customer service is nonexistentand set on keeping you enrolled. A bit of a mess just to try a pretty generic product, if you ask me.

Conclusion

Basically, SensiClear is a reinvention of the wheel—another overpriced, semi effective acne treatment with an annoying autoship program. It’s obvious that the product is more serious about selling itself every month than actually clearing up your acne. I do not recommend SensiClear.

Keep reading to see what Consumers and Experts rated as the Top Acne Treatments based on the safety, effectiveness, and overall value…

VitaCure

Does VitaCure effectively treat acne?

VitaCure is basically a vitamin B5 supplement which comes in powder or capsule form.

An important point to consider about this product is that there has only been one study done in the late 90’s that showed any relationship between B5 and acne reduction. Few if any doctors recommend it.

Aside from B5, there are no other active ingredients, and the “activity” of B5 is very questionable. If you do expect any results out of this product, the company says you may have to wait “up to 3 months”, which will end up increasing the cost quite a bit with this product.

I do not recommend VitaCure, regardless of the initial $30 a bottle, as there is very little science behind it and no proven results.

For effective and affordable alternatives, check out the following…

Neutrogena Acne

Neutrogena has certainly made a name for itself among skin treatment products. So what does it have to offer in the way of acne treatment? A few observations…

Neutrogena Acne products, which are numerous, pretty much all rely on Salicylic Acid for the treatment of acne. Salicylic acid is usually effective, though in many people can cause excess dryness and redness.

The prices of each of the Neutrogena Acne products are all pretty reasonable, but this is because the ingredients are pretty basic and used everywhere.

In conclusion, if you go with Neutrogena you can count on a pretty safe product for a reasonable price. As for effectiveness, the results vary. Many people buy it because of the name alone. Personally I haven’t found Neutrogena to stand out from other acne treatments with similar ingredients. It is not a bad line of products, but there are more effective options out there for acne treatment.

Check out these products…

Stripeptin TriPak

The Stripeptin TriPak system claims to be a unique and effective acne treatment. Is this really the case?

This product claims to bypass all of the other “harsh” chemicals often used in acne treatments while still maintaining effectiveness. Their secret is the Alpine Willow Herb (epilobium fleischeri) used in all three steps of their product. The fact is that there is very little, if any scientific evidence to support this herbs effectiveness at reducing acne.

At $80 per package, this is an extremely expensive placebo. I do not recommend this product for the treatment of acne.

To check out the most effective acne treatments, read below…

Healthy Pores

Does the Healthy Pores System work?

I have taken a closer look at Healthy Pores 3-step system to make your search for the right acne treatment a bit easier.

1. Cleanser – Uses 2% Salicylic Acid, which is a proven to be an effective treatment but is harsh on the skin. I would recommend White Willow Bark (a natural source of this acid) instead for its effectiveness and because it is less harsh on the skin.
2. Treatment Cream – Uses Tea Tree Oil to fight bacteria. Studies have shown 5% tea tree oil to effectively reduce acne, however it is unclear whether Healthy Pores uses this concentration.
3. Herbal Supplement – Claims to balance the hormones that affect acne. Generally very similar to a common multi-vitamin.

Pros

• Some effective ingredients in the cleanser and treatment cream.

• 60-day money back guarantee

Cons

• At $90 per kit, very low value.

• Does not list concentration of Tea Tree oil.

Conclusion

For this much money and for common ingredients which cause some harsh side effects (Salicylic Acid), I would not recommend the Healthy Pores system.

Check out these top-recommended products…

Skin Amnesty

Do the Skin Amnesty products effectively fight acne?

As they are developed by a medical doctor, one should hope so. I took a look at the ingredients to see what these products are all about.

With the products that claim to treat acne, the active ingredient is Salicylic Acid (.5%) which is proven to be effective, though this concentration seems to be diluted (less effective), perhaps to save money in production.

Other effective ingredients include salvia, lemongrass, and aloe, all of which are proven healthy for the skin.

And what about price?

The prices for the Skin Amnesty products are pretty reasonable, many of them ranging from $25 to $40, however some go up to $80 and $100.

Conclusion

From the research I have done on the Skin Amnesty products, they seem to be pretty good on value and their effectiveness at cleaning the skin, however they do not aim directly at treating current acne problems. If you are looking for an effective treatment for a current or chronic acne problem, I would look elsewhere.

Check out these top-recommended products…