There are plenty of products offered for the treatment of acne, most of them without any scientifically-proven effects. However, a combination of treatments can greatly reduce the severity and amount of acne in many patients.

It is highly advisable to ask a dermatologist about the tradeoffs between these products for any particular case, especially when considering using any of them in combination. There are a number of treatments that have been shown effective.

Killing the bacteria that are harbored in the obstructed follicles. This is done either by the intake of antibiotics or by treating the affected patches externally with bactericidal substances like benzoyl peroxide or erythromycin. However, destroying the P. acnes bacteria will not, in itself, do anything to reduce the oil secretion and abnormal cellular behaviour that is the initial cause of the clogged follicles. Benzoyl Peroxide has the characteristic of being a strong oxidiser and does not seem to generate bacterial resistance. Acne will generally reappear quite soon after the end of treatment; days later in the case of topical applications, and weeks later in the case of oral antibiotics.

Minimizing the secretion of oil from the glands. This is done by a regular oral dose of vitamin A by-products like isotretinoin (sold as Accutane) over a period of some months. Isotretinoin has been demonstrated to be very effective in alleviating severe acne and is effective in well over 80% of patients. The drug has a much longer effect than anti-bacterial therapies and will usually eliminate acne for good. The treatment requires close medical supervision by a dermatologist because this drug has several known unwanted effects, some of which can be severe. The most usual side effects are dry skin and nosebleed. The drug also produces birth defects if women take it while pregnant or become pregnant while taking it. For this reason, female patients are required to use two separate forms of birth control or vow abstinence while on the drug. For this reason, isotretinoin is supposed to be administered as a last option after regular treatments have proven insufficient.

Exfoliating your skin. This can be done either mechanically, using a liquid scrub or an abrasive cloth, or chemically. Common chemical exfoliating agents include salicylic acid and glycolic acid, which encourage a peeling of the external layer of skin to avoid an accumulation of devitalized skin cells which combine with dermal oil to clog pores. It also helps to unblock already clogged pores.

Note that the term "peeling" is not meant in the classic sense of shedding, but rather as the destruction of the external layer of dermal cells at the microscopic level. Depending on the type of exfoliation applied, some visible flaking is possible. If you want to try them, moisturizers and natural acne skin care products containing exfoliating agents are usually available over-the-counter.