Soap and water. Wear a shirt.

While some people (ahem) refuse to believe there’s any cause of acne other than bad hygiene, I know better. I had moderate acne on my face as a teen and, even now at 25, I still get break-outs at times. I wash my face twice a day, all of the products I use on my face are non-comedegenic, and I never sleep in makeup. It has nothing to do with hygiene and soap and water ain’t gonna cut it.

My best advice is to see a dermatologist. Every case of acne is different and there’s not one sure-fire way to get rid of it. Some people can control their acne with over-the-counter products you find at Wal-Mart. Some will only respond to prescriptions. Some respond to neither.

Unfortunately for me, I have very dry skin, so every acne product my dermatologist tried on me would make me flaky and gross. I ended up just having to suck it up until I “grew out of it.” I know now that it’s a hormonal issue that is only controlled via contraceptives. When I stop taking birth control, I get acne on my face, shoulders, and back. No bueno.

So, like I said, make an appointment with a dermatologist to see what’s causing yours and what to do about it.

It could just be your hormones. Don’t try any home remedies without a doctor’s permission, especially if it’s on your face. As @livelaughlove21 suggests, try to see a dermatologist. There are specific acne treatments you can get from them. Also try to get enough sleep, reduce your stress, eat well balanced diet and drink plenty of water.

And wear a shirt.

@Smitha Just FYI, I used to be in the “Drink plenty of water,” camp. However, one day a routine test showed my sodium levels were low, and that’s a very bad deal. I was advised to cut back on my liquid intake, and I did, and the levels came back up.