Everybody, at some point in their lives or another, will experience the awful moment of waking up for an important picture, performance, or interview, and finding that they've broken out badly. Acne is a fact of life for most people, usually spiking during puberty and reoccurring in periods of high stress or poor dietary choices.

The question on everyone's minds who've had acne, however is how do they get rid of it? So if you're looking for a few ingredients to make sure your latest acne cure-all has to ensure that it'll be effective, then here's what you need to know.

Benzoyl Peroxide

This is an essential ingredient, as benzoyl peroxide is the compound that actually helps kill the bacteria that causes acne in the first place, along with removing an excess oil that might be on your skin (which is good, since excess oil can help acne flare up, which is the opposite of what you want).

As an added bonus, benzoyl peroxide also acts as a sort of exfoliant, helping to remove the dead skin cells that can sit on your face during and after a breakout, which clog your pores and make a second acne attack much more likely.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Usually naturally found in fruits, alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid and lactic acid are lab-grown acids meant to help remove dead skin cells and to stop any redness or inflammation that comes with acne. While these acids don't actually help make the acne go away any faster, they're crucial in cutting down on the burning red color of acne and actually help in the healing process after.

Alpha hydroxy acids help to stimulate new skin growth, helping to minimize any scarring from the acne, and can even help to make your pores look smaller, overall improving the appearance of your face. And that's something you'll definitely want after your latest breakout. 

Adapalene

Part of the retinoid family, adapalene helps slough off dead skin cells and — more importantly — stimulates new cells to grow in their place, effectively replacing your skin with fresh, new, unpockmarked skin. It also helps reduce the inflammation that comes with acne, though it should be noted that retinoids like adapalene can make your acne look slightly worse before improving it.

One of the most important jobs that adapalene does for your skin is that it unclogs your pores, which can help to keep your acne at bay in the future, reducing the chance of a breakout due to clogged pores.

For more information about these and other dermatology compounds, contact companies like the Camelback Compounding Pharmacy.

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