Acne is a common skin condition that can be caused by a combination of several different factors related to oil glands in the skin becoming blocked and trapping bacteria.
Therefore, it is logical to assume to that a good treatment for acne would be removing the skin's excess oils.
For many years, patients and physicians believed that the skin's natural oils should be removed to the point that the skin was left dry and peeling.
However, too much washing and excessive scrubbing can irritate the skin and make things worse.
Still, careful washing is an important part of facial care.
Not only does a good washing with a mild antibacterial soap remove dirt, oil and bacteria, it also removes dead skin cells, preparing the skin to absorb any topical medication.
It is then a question of which is the best acne soap.
Unfortunately, there is no one single answer because everyone's skin is different and not all cases of acne have the same cause.
Acne breakouts can be caused by a combination of stress, diet and hormones.
The ingredients of acne soap bars vary.
Some soap may work well on one person's skin and be far less effective on someone else.
One common ingredient in many acne soap bars is salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid works as an exfoliant that can penetrate the follicle and help clear away dead skin cells that can block pores.
This type of cleanser works well with comedonal and non-inflammatory acne.
Possible side effects with salicylic acid include stinging, burning, and peeling skin.
Sulfur is another common ingredient that has been used for many years.
Sulfur causes the skin to dry and peel and helps reduce the oiliness of the skin which helps keep the pores free of blockages.
Possible side effects of sulfur could include burning, peeling, or other skin irritations.
Glycerin, goat's milk and vitamin E oil are some other ingredients that are commonly found in acne bar soaps to counter act the side effects of salicylic acid or sulfur.
Glycerin is a well-known moisturizer as is goat's milk.
However, goat's milk, which is nearly the same pH level of human skin, also contains other helpful nutrients that replace those destroyed by the acne soap bars harsher ingredients.
Vitamin E is well known for its healing properties and its ability to reduce scarring.
Acne soaps come in many different sizes and packages, which makes a straight price comparison difficult.
However, a cursory glance through one retailer's web site shows prices from $2.
73 for a 3.
5-ounce bar of Neutrogena to $6.
25 for the same size bar of Acne Clear Soap.