Thankfully there are six easier, more effective, and far less obvious ways to treat acne and annihilate it for life.

Acne is a severe and very distressing and sometimes disfiguring skin disorder affecting millions of people all across the world. Acne can not only look bad, it can also make sufferers feel bad and can lead to complex psychological and emotional disorders. The problem most commonly appears on the face and neck, also the chest and back, and can affect people in their early teens and often long into later life. By far the worst problem of acne is that, if not treated in time, it can lead to scars and deep pits in the skin that can continue for life.

In recent years skin specialists have suggested the following as the easiest and possibly the most effective ways to treat acne:

1. Skin should always be kept clean and free of thick creams and make up which can block the pores and further the development of acne and other skin problems. Sufferers should clean their skin at least twice a day with a mild cleanser and using light one way stroking movements across the skin. Cleansers should not be rubbed into the skin or they make seep into the pores and cause clogging. Two way cleaning motions should be avoided where the hand or cleaning cloth is pressed against the skin and rubbed in two directions which causes the skin to stretch and can cause the infection to spread to other areas of the face. A one way gentle movement is best, with the fingers or cloth floating lightly over the skin.

2. Over-cleaning the skin can cause dryness which can look every bit as bad as acne and can also lead to redness and itching. Astringents are advised by some specialists but not recommended by others, except for people with very oily skin. Astringent can be very painful on open and damaged pores.

3. Avoid touching or stroking the skin which can cause the infection to spread to unaffected areas. Wash your hands as often as possible and use perfume free skin cream to keep the hands soft and prevent drying.

4. Do not squeeze pimples or spots or pick away dry flakes. All will worsen the condition and can cause scarring.

5. Be careful choosing face care products and make up. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to prescribe make up, after shave lotion, and other skin care products that won't exacerbate an acne problem. All make up must be oil free, as must shampoos and hair products especially where acne exists on the scalp or hairline.

6. Acne and other skin conditions do not require huge sums of money to cure, in fact the best methods of curing acne are free or very low cost, such as drinking lots of water every day, getting plenty of fresh air, using perfume free and that usually means inexpensive skin and hair care products, and remembering to get plenty of sleep to cope with the emotional concerns sometimes plaguing acne sufferers.