Blackheads, whiteheads, cysts. I'm sure you've seen at least one of these problems pop up on your own skin. It's important to understand the types of acne so you may better understand how to treat it. Comedonal lesions include blackheads (open comedo) or whitehead (closed comedo). Severe lesions are often infected or inflamed, red, and raised. The milder and more common lesions are called papules or postules. The large, painful lesions buried within the skin are known as cysts and are responsible for most acne scarring.

There are four main causes of acne: Irregular skin exfoliation, inflammation, excess oil production, and bacteria (P. acnes). Excess oil makes the dead skin cells stick together, clogging the pores and often causing blackheads or whiteheads. Bacteria then settles into the pores and causes inflammation, which results in redness and infection.

Now you know the causes, the next step is treatment and prevention. Topical treatments include Benzoyl Peroxide, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, topical antibiotics, as well as cleansers, soaps, or astringents containing these ingredients.

Listed below are our recommended products for acne-prone skin.