The bath isle at any store is teeming with 'maximum strength' acne treatments. Each claims to have a magic ingredient to aid in your skin problems. But what is the truth behind this rhetoric? There are three steps to any skin care routine.

First off, you should perform your acne treatment routine twice a day, morning and before bed. There are three components in any good regimen: a cleanser, a toner or medication, and a moisturizer.

A cleanser's in the acne treatment process is to lift away dirt and oils on the surface of the skin. A toner or medication will work on the bacteria deeper in the pores, and moisturizers replace what cleansing and toning have removed, so your skin does not get over-dried or damaged. Together this completes a good acne treatment.

I'm going to focus on your cleanser right now. It must be gentle, nothing containing any kind of 'grit'- from pumice to walnut shells. Best to look at the packaging, only consider buying one that is safe for the skin around the eyes (it will be marked). That skin is the most delicate and the rest of your skin should be treated the same. A cleanser is either a bar or liquid soap only, anything labeled a 'Scrub' (as in 'apricot scrub') should not even be considered for your acne treatment.

Ironically, most cleansers labeled 'acne treatments' should be avoided too, they contain acids and oxides. Your cleanser's role in acne treatment is only to remove dirt, not medicating, that is the job of your toner or medication, and will damage your skin. Some of the best cleansers for acne treatment are Purpose brand Gentle Cleansing Wash (there is also a bar soap version), and more expensive- Neutrogena brand Extra Gentle Cleanser the Proactiv brand regimen works well too. 'Extra gentle'' you say. I know that we tend to think one zit calls for the heavy artillery of acne treatments, but anything marked 'extra strength' marketing to just such a mind set, and will damage your skin.

Now you can wash your face! And guess what? First you wash your hands. Then you start on your acne treatment. Moisten your face with water that is around body temperature, not hot or cold, as these affect the pores badly. Use only your fingers; even a wash cloth is too rough. Thoroughly wash your face, till you can feel no oil in areas like the creases around your nose. And then pat it dry with a clean towel, rubbing will cause any dirt on the towel or left on your face to go right back into your pores and clog them... again. Re-clogging your pores is no kind of acne treatment at all!

Acne is a problem for millions of Americans every day. A good acne treatment routine will help with the majority of cases though. Now that you know how to smartly select your cleanser, and wash without causing further damage, it is time to move on to toners/ medications and moisturizers.