Acne cream

Visit any high street pharmacy or your local LloydsPharmacy and you’ll find an assortment of beauty and skincare products tailored towards people with acne. These often contain ingredients such as:

These ingredients are known to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and exfoliating properties, which means they can be very effective in treating acne-prone skin.

However, because these types of products are available without the need to consult a pharmacist or doctor, the concentration of the active ingredient is relatively low. For a more effective treatment, you’ll usually need to obtain products containing these ingredients over the counter, or with a prescription.

Another type of acne cream you can buy without speaking to a medical professional is dermalex acne treatment. This product is designed to moisturise and protect the skin, while reducing redness, swelling and spots. Dermalex acne treatment is hypoallergenic and designed for use on skin that might react to harsh chemicals.

Over-the-counter acne creams can only be purchased after talking to a pharmacist; they should be thought of as medication rather than skincare. These acne creams will often contain the same ingredients as the skincare products described above, but in a higher concentration.

Two popular over-the-counter acne creams are acnecide 5%, which contains benzoyl peroxide, and freederm, which contains nicotinamide.

To obtain these acne creams you need to speak to a pharmacist in person, or fill out a short form if you’re ordering them online from LloydsPharmacy. This is so we can ensure that this treatment is right for you.

Certain acne creams are only available with a prescription. These include creams and gels containing benzoyl peroxide (such as duac once daily) and azealic acid (such as finacea). Two other ingredients commonly found in prescription-only acne creams are retinoids and antibiotics.

Retinoids are a group of chemicals that remove dead skin cells and prevent the hair follicles in the skin from becoming plugged. This in turn helps to prevent spots forming on the skin. If you have moderate or severe acne, you might be prescribed a gel containing a retinoid called tretinoin.

Acne creams containing antibiotics such as erythromycin or clindamycin work by killing the bacteria on the skin and preventing spots from becoming infected. They are typically used for six to eight weeks – if used for longer than this there’s a risk that the bacteria on your skin could become resistant to the antibiotic.

The right treatment for you will depend upon the type of acne you are experiencing. What might work for one person may not be suited for another. We suggest that you talk to your GP or your local LloydsPharmacy Pharmacist if you are concerned about your skin and would like some more advice.

Some acne creams must be applied only to affected areas of the skin, while others are designed for use across the whole face. Before applying any topical treatment you should wash your face with a mild cleanser and lukewarm water.

If in doubt, consult the information provided with the product, or ask a pharmacist or your doctor.

There is no specific acne cream that doctors recommend for acne scarring. However, if you do have acne scars, keeping your skin moisturised will help prevent them from drying out. A product like bio oil can purportedly diminish the appearance of acne scars, as well as treat uneven skin tone. There are also skin serums and oils available, such as rosehip oil that can help to reduce the appearance of scaring.