From experience, I can say that acne treatment involves a fair amount of trial and error, because what works for one person may very well not work for someone else.
Therefore, finding an acne solution that works for you is a difficult job.
However, it is not impossible, because given the wide variations in acne treatment these days, acne solutions that suit your skin are easier to find than before.
Look before you leap The trouble with acne, says dermatologist Dr Andrew Waite, is that it is such an embarrassment and irritation for most people that they can't wait to lay their hands on that perfect acne solution.
"Just as there is a wide range of acne solutions today, so there are bogus treatments that can fool people into parting with hard-earned money," Dr Waite warns.
"There is no shortage of unscrupulous people who play on the general ignorance about acne and actually encourage folks to believe all the myths about acne.
" Therefore, while your search for the perfect acne solution should be urgent, it should also be circumspect.
The cleansing routine Shannon Collins, a 24-year-old TV programming executive from Portland, says her search for acne solutions ended the day she began using the Exposed anti-acne treatment program, but regrets giving in to panic and investing in harsh acne cleansers that caused plenty of damage.
"My acne got a lot worse than it should have, simply because I was using overly medicated cleansers and lotions in the belief that they would clear up my pimples.
They did, but they also dehydrated my skin so much I was staring nodulocystic acne in the eye," says Shannon.
So there you are.
While cleansing your skin is essential if you have acne, you must make sure that your cleansing solution does not damage your skin.
"While medicated acne cleansing solutions may be a necessity for some people, you should never use them without first consulting a dermatologist," says Dr Waite.